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I just cannot escape from the notion that the Jackass films (and series) are the modern equivalent of the Mondo films from back in the day, providing a 'safe' way for an audience to enjoy some wacky self-inflicted violence and grossness that cannot have gone too far as otherwise it wouldn't have made it into a commercially released film. Just without the added layer of an ethnographic narration taking a moralising, superior and arguably racist stance towards the people caught on camera (which is always the most iffy part of the Mondo films, yet simultaneously the most fascinating and (unintentionally?) revealing of the filmmaker aspect of them too) as being something that people over there do to themselves for some reason, rather than anything thankfully we get up to over here.

And instead of cutting themselves up or snake handling because it is what their culture or religion is demand of them, in Jackass it is just being done because their buddies are daring them into doing so, that becomes a kind of bonding experience through a shared act. Although I suppose that could be argued to be organised culture or religion in a nutshell! Maybe everything just begins as a dare between buddies until it gets codified and turned into a societal edict!

The usual post-feature outtakes film Jackass 4.5 is on Netflix as of yesterday, and the first bit is a hot sauce enema in case anyone needs a good family-friendly watch this weekend

The “X.5” entries have always been really hit or miss for me, (Jackass 2.5 was maybe the nadir of the whole series, and just felt like all the bits that either didn’t work or were too mean-spirited to make it into the full film) but 4.5 is honestly as good as 3D or Forever in my mind. There were several bits that I couldn’t believe didn’t make it into the finished film. The “first COVID safety meeting back” was absolute Loony Tunes, and the final skydiving bit was really lovely and life-affirming in such an unexpected way.

Jackass 5

I doubt either of those statements will turn out to be true.

I don't know, it really could be their last. I don't see them doing this in their sixties and seventies.

Disappointed to see that this appears to be half new bits and half clip show. Hopefully that's not the case and the trailer is just highlighting the apparent finality of the series.

I think Johnny literally can’t do a full movie of stunts anymore, the bull in Forever might be the last concussion he can ever get without risking death in a very real way.