‘Jackass: Best And Last’ review: Johnny Knoxville and gang reunite for gleeful mix of past highlights and punishing modern stunts | Reviews

 The fearlessness of the execution provokes both chuckles and groans

Opening in the UK and US on June 26, Best And Last has been advertised as the final chapter in Paramount’s low-budget film franchise, which began with 2002’s Jackass: The Movie (a spin-off from the MTV reality show). The two most recent instalments — 2010’s Jackass 3D ($172m worldwide) and 2022’s Jackass Forever ($82m) — were profitable, as was the 2013 spin-off feature Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa ($152m). But even though Knoxville and his crew are now in their 50s — and only about half of this sequel is modern footage — there should still be enough of a fanbase that’s excited to watch these middle-aged men inflict punishment on themselves and each other.

While it is true co-creator Knoxville has insisted that several of the recent Jackass pictures would be the last, Best And Last has the feel of a proper send-off. In the film’s modern-day footage, he and series regulars like Steve-O and Chris Pontius reminisce about the history of Jackass, which first came to prominence as an MTV stunt show in the early 2000s. Best And Last features classic bits — which are presented from alternative angles or in different takes — alongside stunt footage that could not be shown previously because of legal reasons. In addition, there are myriad modern sequences that are a little less physically demanding on the cast but still incredibly agonising or humiliating.

By this point, Jackass fans know what to expect from these films, which celebrate the largely male troupe’s enduring friendship and continued willingness to put their bodies in harm’s way. The modern stunts may not be as inspired, but the enthusiasm with which Knoxville’s team embrace these sophomoric challenges remains charming and hilarious, mocking tough-guy masculinity by having these men repeatedly get hurt and emasculated.

As always, sequences revolve frequently around doing unspeakable things to sensitive parts of the male anatomy. (Bodily functions are a major source of comedy.) But the crude scatological humour is often counterbalanced by the crew’s wholesome camaraderie as they cheer on the unlucky member of the group being brutalised. As Best And Last’s greatest-hits sequences remind us, Knoxville and his cohorts have endured broken bones, concussions and emergency-room visits to capture these hair-raising stunts, and the fearlessness of the execution provokes both chuckles and groans.

Director Jeff Tremaine, who has helmed every Jackass picture, effectively moves between wide shots to close-ups and slow-motion, making the viewer feel like part of the team as they marvel at these ill-advised stunts. Whether it’s chugging a colonoscopy prep solution and then playing Twister or having a shock collar attached to their genitals while walking a balance beam, no stunt is too childish to consider – and the stupidity of the entire endeavour becomes the point. There is a gleeful futility to these slapstick sequences as cast members get run over by a car or attacked by a ram, becoming living crash-test dummies in the process.

Knoxville has always invited viewers to laugh at his team’s buffoonery, and his good looks, devilish smile and easygoing demeanour make him the perfect guide through this elaborate silliness. Hardcore devotees will be familiar with Best And Last’s older setpieces, but the modern looks at standout sequences, such as Knoxville’s scary confrontation with a raging bull from Jackass Forever, prove the series’ highlights have lost none of their gasp-inducing shock.

Still, there’s a lackluster whiff of melancholy hanging over the proceedings, considering this is probably the final film. At one point, Knoxville even gets emotional at the prospect of saying goodbye to this chapter of his life. Fittingly, though, he’s strapped to an electric chair when that realisation occurs — he’s an endearing jackass to the end.