Jackass wasn't around for very long and its terrible spawns like Viva La Bam and Wildboyz were less than successful, garnering just a fraction of the original's fan base. In other words, Paramount and MTV (as well as fans of the show) have been starving for more and since a third film seems unlikely at this point, a new DVD will have to suffice.
For some reason, several sketches, stunts and gags never made their way to the previous Jackass DVDs -- mostly the early work before the show was well known (or even a show at all) -- but now, hoping to cash in on the continued success of the series, Paramount has finally delivered the missing pieces with Jackass: The Lost Tapes.
What follows is basically a deleted scenes reel of additional stunts and sketches -- some of which are fairly amusing, while others fall flat on their face (sometimes literally). You'll see the usual vomiting, face plants and other shenanigans -- all of which are staples of the popular franchise.
Sadly though, this DVD just doesn't quite hold up. Half the off-the-wall sketches end before the punch line, disrupted by angry employees or frustrated cops. The vomiting bits feel tiresome, not to mention gross (though the milk contest is a hoot). And several of the sketches have no real point. As Wee Man even points out in one such sketch (where he's forced to wear a baby bonnet and diaper on an abandoned street), there's no real rhyme or reason to the gag, and it feels more like a self-gratifying goof on whomever is at the center of the sketch.
In some ways, that's the irreverent charm of the Jackass TV series. It's why the show became so popular in the first place (my Dad even enjoys watching the show). Jackass was never really about anything. It was just a random collection of stuntmen and "extreme" sports nuts goofing off and having a good time in front of the camera -- and sometimes hurting themselves in the process.
Jackass: The Lost Tapes is sure to please hardcore Jackass fans, particularly those who've long sought after these missing pieces. But newcomers and non-fans needn't bother. There's nothing here that's going to win you over. Nothing probably ever will. But that's OK, Jackass isn't for everyone.
