Jackass: Number 2

Has it really been four years since we were subjected to the boys from Jackass's antics and their last big screen outing? Four peaceful, sane years that was only interrupted by the Dirty Sanchez feature a few months back. Well, the boys are back with more of Knoxville's hi-jinx, Steve O's madcap stunts, Bam Margera's tomfoolery, Dave England's sick gags and Chris Pontius's non-too subtle homoeroticism. Trying to up the ante in danger, the Jackass boys indulge in the riding of rockets, blind bull-fighting, dodge ball in the dark, eating poo, drinking horse sperm and a fire hose rodeo (which actually looks like fun) amongst other activities. Watching the 'sequel' I got the feeling that the boys were running out of ideas, as the laughter seems a little forced this time around and it became annoying that every stunt results in the participant being 'annihilated' when it's obvious that they haven't been hurt that badly. Jackass, at its height of popularity on MTV, was fine for a laugh for a half-hour; but asking an audience to sit through an hour and a half of hit-and-miss gags, not once but twice, is asking a lot. By the end, Pontius makes some remark that he hopes that there won't be Jackass 3. Let's hope he's right.