‘Jackass’ is better than the things you like

Older and grayer, but by no means wiser, ‘Jackass Forever’ was a horrific thrill ride full of pain, pleasure, and brotherhood.

The fourth installment in the illustrious daredevil franchise continues to pack the same punches that Johnny Knoxville and company have been producing for over 20 years now. The injuries are just as vicious as they were when the crew first began raising hell on MTV and the new cast of stars, such as Rachel Wolfson and standout Zach Holmes, fulfill the lineage of being ready, willing, and able to do anything that producer Jeff Tremaine throws their way.

There has never been a movie with so much biting, screaming, and visible dong that hasn’t been labeled a porno. In fact, this movie proved that penises are not always sexual. This movie represents the first time in Hollywood history that having a penis can be viewed as a weakness. Be prepared to see these men – and their private parts – like you’ve never seen them before.

With guest appearances by Rob Dydrek, Machine Gun Kelly, UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, and a litany of pro skateboarders from Tony Hawk to Nick Merlino, the crew is as loaded as ever.

Naysays often point to ‘Jackass’ as playing to the lowest common denominator. That is ultimately an unfair way of looking at this now iconic franchise. ‘Jackass’ is deeply human, far more so than any coming-of-age film could represent. For just over 90 minutes, ‘Jackass Forever’ reminds us that at our core, human beings are deeply silly individuals. As we get locked into our algorithmically-curated mindsets and beaten over the head by the 24/7 news cycle, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that we’re supposed to laugh at each other and love one another. The final film of the ‘Jackass’ franchise reminds us of that.

Well, that and the fact that nothing is funnier than seeing someone get hit in the nuts.

‘Jackass Forever’ opens nationwide on February 4.