Review: The 'Jackass' Crew Get Older, and a Little Wiser, in 'Jackass Forever'

"Some people never learn." That's what the tagline reads on the poster for "Jackass Forever," accompanying a photo of circus ringleader Johnny Knoxville donning fake Icarus-style wings and being blown sky-high out of a human cannon.

But if this fourth (and final?) entry into a franchise that has now spanned 20+ years proves anything, it's that these knuckleheads have learned plenty over the decades. As such, "Jackass Forever" is a work that captures youth and old age in equal measure, creating a bizarre yet miraculous elixir made up of laughter, dick jokes, and quiet meditations.

There are certainly various losses felt within "Jackass Forever" that weren't present during the third film, "Jackass 3D," released in 2010. Most notable are Ryan Dunn, who died in a 2011 car crash, and Bam Margera, who was involved with production before being fired after failing to adhere to a strict sobriety contract. For the hardcore fans, there may be mixed emotions here as Dunn and Margera's CKY ("Camp Kill Yourself") videos were the catalyst for what eventually became "Jackass." And for the actual cast, while there are never discussions of these absences during the film's duration, one can certainly imagine the range of feelings related to having two members of your family absent for a reunion.

And yet we still have main players Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, Chris Pontius, Dave England, "Danger Ehren" McGhehey, and Preston Lacy, all of whom have reached, surpassed, or are creeping close to 50 years of age. But even in their anticipated return, there's inevitable loss felt here. Sure, the youthful camaraderie is still there, but you get the overwhelming sense that all the hospital bills, near-death experiences, and genital obliteration have caught up to these guys over the years. Here, when one of their own takes a hit and more than a few seconds pass without them moving, it's hard not to see the masked (or completely blatant) dread on everybody's face. There's a constant stream of looks that communicate, "Is this the day we watch our friend die?" But then that person eventually gets up, prompting a familiar round of laughter and applause, now with some muted sighs of relief.

Joining the seven returning players are the series' first new cast members -- Sean "Poopies" McInerney, Jasper Dolphin, Zach Holmes, Rachel Wolfson, and Eric Manaka – a collection of people whose age group was raised on the cultural shifts spurned by "Jackass," where anybody could claim fame as long as you had a camera and something dumb to do in front of it. There's an interesting duality in the divided generations of the cast, some of which works and some of which doesn't, but it's amusing to see which stunts get distributed to the veterans versus the newbies. Some of the members aren't really hiding the fact that when it comes to certain things, they're just too old for this shit.

Well, that excludes Danger Ehren, who honestly deserves top billing for what becomes his most gloriously unhinged entry in the franchise. Often an obligatory punching bag for the rest of the group and the victim of some of their most brutally hilarious pranks (including the legendary terrorist taxi/pubic hair beard bit that concluded "Jackass Number Two"), McGhehey truly gives no fucks here, putting his life, limbs, and reproductive organs at the highest risk they've ever been throughout all four films. He gets drenched with honey and raw salmon and almost gets eaten by a bear. He takes a venomous spider bite straight to his nipple. And in a nod to one of the first and most iconic Knoxville bits, Ehren gets his nuts pummeled by the glove of heavyweight MMA fighter Francis Ngannou, the whip-fast softball pitch of Olympian Danielle O'Toole, the slapshot of NHL player P.K. Subban and, well... I'll save the joy of the last and final "Cup Test" for you to enjoy... or cringe at... or both.

Speaking of genitals, this is indubitably the most uncensored, dick-and-ball-heavy entry of the bunch, proving once again that the "Jackass" films are, oddly, some of the most progressive pieces in 21st century American film when it comes to full male nudity and comfortable, non-toxic heterosexuality. And seeing as nearly all of the genitalia-related stunts are performed by the veterans, it raises an interesting theory that these guys have essentially accepted the fact that they aren't having any future children and decide to at least have some fun with their makeshift vasectomies.

What we're ultimately given is a "Jackass" film that's a notch above the rest, where its losses are deeply felt and the ripples of time and change are inevitably present, but so much is gained due to the perspectives that two decades of calculated idiocy have helped build. It is the most mature of the four films, and yet somehow one of its most juvenile, too. It's a film with contemplations on aging that may bring a slight tear to your eye, and even if not, you may still find yourself crying with laughter.

Like every entry, some concepts play off like gangbusters while others don't, which is simply just a risk you take when you conceive a stupid idea and attempt to turn it into a reality. But isn't that just imagination and ingenuity in a nutshell, even if it's focused on farts and dicks and dumping pig semen on your friend's head? Regardless of any crudeness or callowness found in these films and the various segments within them, the final product is always worthy of admiration.

As somebody who has always been willing to put himself at mortal risk for a good gag, Johnny Knoxville in particular has long since cemented his place alongside icons like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Thus, as a curtain call for a career that has nearly killed him time and again, "Jackass Forever" deserves a standing ovation. But as this riotous ode to collaborative clownery proves, everything painful – from getting older to having your ribs broken by a charging bull – is always made better with a little help from your friends.

"Jackass Forever" on digital March 29, 2022 and BLU/DVD April 19, 2022