There’s nothing like catching up with some old friends to bleed/vomit/cry together. That’s what makes Jackass Forever such an unexpectedly heartwarming watch: after a hit MTV series and three movies of painful pranks, there has to be some truly meaningful connection between these guys to get them back in the saddle.
Jackass Forever
The latest Jackass film put a big evil smile on my face, with game new cast members lining up to earn their way into the ‘half-assed stuntman’ history books. It was also a sweet opportunity to look back on some of the film series’ most wince-inducing moments: here’s just five of the nastiest Jackass scenes.
Papercuts
I can’t even think of the word ‘papercut’ without traumatic imagery from this prank ruining my day. Hell, the video’s too graphic to even embed it off Youtube. Sometimes it’s the smallest injuries that cause the most chaos, as with this torture sesh from Jackass The Movie that sees the most tender parts of the human body getting sliced up by a simple piece of paper.
We’re talking the sides of the mouth…webbing between the fingers and toes…okay that’s enough, let’s quickly move on please.
“Is Butterbean okay?”
Johnny Knoxville is the deranged ringleader of the whole Jackass circus, and it can feel unfair watching him terrorise the gang so mercilessly. In Jackass Forever, he’s always got a taser handy to literally spark some life into the cast and crew when they’re starting to feel too safe.
But at least Knoxville’s willing to put his money—and his physical health—where his mouth is, as in the first film’s Department Store Boxing stunt. A barrage of blows from heavyweight boxer Butterbean clearly hurts, concussing Knoxville and meriting a hospital visit. The cherry on top is his priceless response after blacking out on the shop floor: “is Butterbean okay?”
The Toro Totter
There’s a new bull stunt in Jackass Forever, but it doesn’t top the diabolical Toro Totter in Jackass Number Two. The head honchos of Squid Game could take some notes from this cruel reimagining of some innocent playground equipment. And whoever made the decision to dress the boys in propeller hats deserves an Oscar.
Admittedly I’m never a fan of Jackass stunts that involve animals: irritated snakes, spiders, and bears that aren’t in on the joke. The bull seems to feel ripped off, too, taking out all of its bovine rage on Ryan Dunn’s spine.
Lamborghini Tooth Pull
This dental abuse might not have been so bad if Danger Ehren’s crooked tooth was at all loose. Yanking a perfectly healthy incisor, however, results in a fractured skull and a scream of agony that’s hard to forget.
It’s not like the tooth pull itself is especially graphic or violent: what makes the Jackass 3D scene so visceral is all in the sound design. The anticipation of the revving Lambo, the telltale ‘tok’ of bone getting yanked from bone…it’s just so damn mean.
The Ultimate Cup Test
We’re blessed/cursed to see a lot of genital mutilation in Jackass Forever. Snapping turtles, bee hives, paintball pellets: if you don’t want it near your junk, Chris Pontius and Steve-O have already been there and damaged their penis with it. At some point you’ve gotta wonder if it’s just some widely-held fetish among this friend group.
Poor Ehren (again!!) gets Jackass Forever’s absolute worst treatment in an extended sequel to the “cup test” that put the MTV series on the map. Pro athletes take turns to attack his sack with a world record-breaking boxing punch, softball pitch, hockey puck, and pogo stick. “Dick pain hurts”, one witness wisely points out.
