jackass forever

Ten years after their last proper outing, Johnny Knoxville and his troupe of daredevil goons return for another compilation of bonkers slapstick sketches best avoided by the squeamish. The premise is as simple as ever: the gang challenges one another to variously cartoonish, puerile and outright dangerous stunts, taking in electrocution, catapulting, groin wallops and live animals. The quality can vary, but many of the madcap conceits are satisfying in their loony simplicity (such as the smartly engineered "triple wedgie"), while others twist unpredictably into anarchic comedy heaven (see "Danger" Ehren McGhehey strapped into a chair for a seemingly straightforward electro-shock lie-detector scenario, asking with rising panic why Knoxville is now garnishing him with honey and salmon). The visibly older cast remain appealing presenters, and the familiar sight of them and the crew laughing, cringing, gagging at and sometimes fretting over the pains and grotesqueries visited upon each successive unfortunate stooge becomes weirdly moving for the long-term fan. The sheer physicality of the mayhem, with its clever Rube Goldberg-style devices and ample on-screen injuries, is a true, pure joy to view - even if through your fingers.