Jackass: Best and Last arrives in theaters on June 26, marking what the long-running troupe claims is their final cinematic outing. The film blends new material with a retrospective look at the franchise's history, offering a fond, if somewhat less ambitious, conclusion.
The subtitle, "Best and Last," accurately reflects the movie's structure, which intersperses fresh stunts with clips and memories from the past two decades. While it may not reach the heights of some previous entries, it avoids feeling disjointed by framing the archival footage with modern-day discussions from the cast. Director Jeff Tremaine employs a layered approach, sometimes building up to iconic stunts with previously unseen footage or alternate takes, creating a richer context for these moments.
Fans will appreciate the inclusion of material that never made it to air, such as a genuinely dangerous stunt Johnny Knoxville filmed in 1998 for test purposes, which clearly explains MTV's initial reluctance. The film also revisits the "Silence of the Lambs" stunt from Jackass Forever, restoring footage featuring Bam Margera before his departure from the series due to substance abuse issues. Beyond archival content, the movie draws from test footage, TV series clips, deleted scenes, and even material from the Bad Grandpa spinoff, providing a comprehensive look back.
The new stunts, while still characteristic of the Jackass brand of gross-out humor and painful-looking pranks, generally feel more contained than in past films. This is partly attributed to the shorter production schedule and the cast members’ advancing age. Many of the new bits revolve around concepts like an Escape Room or a trivia game with severe consequences, often prominently featuring Zach Holmes, whose posterior becomes a focal point for several gags. However, the scale and ambition of these new stunts do not quite match the grander set pieces and environmental challenges seen in earlier installments.
It's understandable that the Jackass crew, with many members now in their 50s, cannot perform stunts with the same physical abandon as before. Knoxville, in particular, has been medically advised against certain activities following severe injuries sustained during Jackass Forever. Despite this, the film manages to be a surprisingly sweet and loving send-off. The camaraderie among the cast is evident, and their enduring appeal lies in their willingness to engage in profoundly dumb, disgusting, and sometimes dangerous acts while maintaining a genuine affection for each other and their audience.
Knoxville himself becomes visibly emotional at points, underscoring the deep personal significance the series holds for him and his castmates. "Jackass: Best and Last" serves as a testament to a career that has brought considerable laughter over the years, concluding with a mixture of sadness and pride for the enduring legacy of gross-out stunts and male anatomy displayed on screen.