Jackass: Best and Last Review: A Fragmented Farewell

There’s a beauty in sitting with a large group of rowdy fans in a packed theater to watch Johnny Knoxville and his crew kick each other in the groin and spill blood for ninety minutes. It comes as no surprise that the cast’s aging bodies, combined with the repetitive nature of their antics, would eventually run their natural course in Jackass: Best and Last.

Jackass: Best and Last Review

A still from Jackass: Best and Last. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

A still from Jackass: Best and Last. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

A still from Jackass: Best and Last. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Two and a half decades after they first took over television, that reality brings us to this latest installment. This determined finale serves as a scrapbook of the best the series has to offer. It satisfies fans looking for one last hit of nostalgia and gives newcomers a chance to see classic stunts on the big screen, even if it might underwhelm those hoping for something bigger and bolder than what came before.

The final installment of the franchise features the familiar faces we’ve grown to love, alongside the new additions introduced in Jackass Forever and the highly anticipated inclusion of Jasper Dolphin’s father, Compston “Dark Shark” Wilson.

As usual, this documentary plays out as a series of unrelated, gross, and exciting stunts. Some are simple in nature, like Zach Holmes acting as a human anchor for Wee Man on a terrifying bungee jump, or the lovable Sean “Poopies” McInerney deciding to get agonizing lip filler. Others are complex, ranging from a coordinated opening stunt that utilizes a set of hidden wheels to mimic a massive conveyor belt, to a disgusting game of Twister that involves four grown men defecating on themselves after chugging MiraLAX. It’s high-quality, quintessential entertainment, folks.

• Related: The 10 Most Insane Jackass Stunts to Revisit Before ‘Jackass: Best and Last’

Jackass: Best and Last seemingly ran into some logistical hurdles during production because, this time around, about half of the stunts are either pulled directly from previous installments or built from archival footage that has never aired until now.

In some ways, this is cool. I never had the chance to see many of the older installments in theaters beyond their last outing, so experiencing these greatest hits on a massive screen with a cheering crowd was a fun time. Seeing the unaired, vaulted stunts is also a surprise, as those often represent some of the most dangerous and unhinged moments of their youth. It feels like a fitting tribute for the last entry. However, as a result, there’s only a small number of brand-new stunts filmed specifically for this feature, which creates an uneven dynamic on screen.

Out of the main ensemble, each of the original legacy members gets plenty of strong, hilarious content for themselves. There’s a great, self-aware moment toward the end where Steve-O disappointedly notes that none of his bits have ever been the ultimate standout stunt of a film. The movie then follows this up by making him play Twister with his three soiled friends, which is hilarious but probably not the majestic legacy stunt he was hoping for.

A still from Jackass: Best and Last. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

A still from Jackass: Best and Last. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

As for the newer cast members, Poopies is the clear favorite. He gets the funniest scenes of the bunch, and perhaps because he’s the most natural comedian of the new class, he gets more screen time than almost anyone else. This does create a minor issue with the supporting cast. Jasper Dolphin gets a stunt or two, but Rachel Wolfson gets almost nothing to do. It feels like a missed opportunity to sideline the franchise’s only female cast member after introducing her so well previously. Dark Shark’s case is equally weird. A late-movie segment features a four-step escape room with him, but the editing team cuts his section from the final film.

Despite these peculiar editing choices, it remains a wickedly fun time in theaters. You can’t help but wonder if the film had a few behind-the-scenes problems that shifted the final product, resulting in so little brand-new content and a heavy reliance on nostalgia.

• Related: “It was a really hard recovery”: Johnny Knoxville’s Encounter With a Bull During Jackass Forever Was So Bad It Sent Him into Depression

Is Jackass: Best and Last worth watching?

Yet, instead of viewing it as a compromised production, Jackass: Best and Last works best when you accept it as a loving victory lap. They’re looking backward and settling nicely into the legacy they’ve created instead of risking their lives for one last ride. It’s a laugh-out-loud time. Even if it isn’t willing to embrace the all-out madness of their younger days, it’s still a fitting, fragmented farewell to a legendary crew.

Jackass: Best and Last is in theaters on June 26.

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