"Jackass 3D" has lost its shock value and painful laughs

Jackass 3D (2010) 

94 min., rated R.

Grade: C 

When William Friese-Greene filed his patent for the 3-D movie process in the late 1890s, it's very doubtful he expected vomit, urine, and excrement to be a part of that, let alone a “movie” called "Jackass 3D." As a trilogy, such as it is, of the now decade-old MTV series, this "Jackass" isn't nearly as shocking or hilarious as it once was. In fact, pushing its limits, it's now a one-trick pony. But so here it is, the third movie in which director Jeff Tremaine shoots Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, and the usual gang of boy-men idiots devising more (but less creative) ways to hurt themselves, play pranks, and laugh at one another. 

These guys never have shame, aren't afraid to shove anything up their asses and must be very secure in their sexuality (note: there is a lot of penis on display). It's a surprise these guys are still alive with all the hits to the head and the crazy stunts they pull, but you know what they say, “Dying is easy, comedy is harder.” Now, lowest denominator humor is the name of these jackasses' game; some of it's admittedly funny in a schadenfreude-sort of way and the rest of it is just boring and groan-inducing. We've seen it all before in the TV show, the first two movies, and even in the obviously tamer “America's Funniest Home Videos.” Some skits are even so short they're pointless. 

Weiner teeball, which is exactly what it sounds like, is good for a laugh but then we're subjected to an instant replay. Bam Margera has a super-sticky glue squirted on his hands and then places them on two heavyset guys' hairy chests (one of whom is his father, a constant target and good sport of the guys' pranks). Another has one of them farting into a party kazoo, and every now and then Margera will “Rocky” someone (water to the face and a punch with a glove) or pee on them. One of the most vile, vomit-inducing skits is “The Sweatsuit Cocktail” (there's a lot of cocktails in this movie) when Preston Lacy, the big man that he is, exercises on a treadmill while wearing plastic wrap and then Steve-O drinks a cup of his sweat; both Steve-O and the camera man puke. Or, when Steve-O conquers “The Poo Cocktail Supreme,” as he's strapped into a fully loaded PortaPotty and dropped from a bungee for a shit shower. Also, many animals are featured as well, like when a pig eats an apple out of a guy's butt crack or when a blindfolded guy plays pin the tail on the donkey with a real donkey. 

Now is there any funny stuff? For one, Ryan Dunn sits in a chair not far from a jet engine, getting blown away, and then more of Spike Jonze's hijinks dressed up as an old man (he makes out with his “granddaughter” and runs threw the glass window of a bike shop on a motorized bike). College kids might feel they're getting their money's worth, especially with the additional 3-D, but unless you want to actually feel like you're getting pissed or puked on, sit out "Jackass 3D." You'll have a better time at "Piranha 3D" with the boobs and gore.