Jackass 3-D (2010) * *

Directed by: Jeff Tremaine

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Weeman, Ryan Dunn

I didn't see the Jackass show on MTV or the first two movies of this series, but I figured I'd watch this one with my teenage son. He was much more familiar with the enterprise than I and let's face it: This franchise is aimed more for him than me. I also assumed correctly that watching the first two movies wasn't a prerequisite for watching this third installment.    It's not like I would get lost in the storyline.

For those unfamiliar, Jackass is a series of painful stunts and practical jokes designed to shock and disgust unsuspecting onlookers. The stunts range from jumping over a mudhole with a quad to getting tackled by All-Pro Minnesota Viking Jared Allen. The shock value comes from watching how much pain these guys endure. If you're wincing and expressing disgust while watching these stunts, then your response is the desired response. Some of the skits are funny, but after a while watching Jackass 3-D becomes tiresome. How many times can you watch someone nearly maimed?

This is a 3-D movie, as is nearly every other movie being filmed these days. Some of the scenes here were made with 3-D in mind, such as the dildo rocket and a port-o-potty being bungied up and down, but others don't really require 3-D technology.  But alas I was charged three extra dollars because the film was in 3-D.     I can't complain about this because I knew the price would be higher, but I paid anyway. Jackass 3-D made $50 million over the weekend, but the average price of this movie is $12.00 versus $9.00 for a regular 2-D movie, so it's easier to get inflated numbers that way.

But I digress. As I stated, there are some funny episodes in the film, such as a fight between midgets which evolves into something totally unexpected.   I was also amused by Johnny Knoxville masquerading as a perverted elderly man.   These are the practical jokes I mentioned earlier in which the onlookers are shocked by what they see.   Other stunts include cast member after cast member being whacked in the face with a giant hand. Seeing this once is OK, but watching it happen to three or four cast members gets wearying. And I also think I've seen enough guys crapping and vomiting for a while.

Jackass 3-D will no doubt entertain its desired audience. But the whole thing ran out of steam for me after a while. There is only so much of this I can watch without becoming saturated. I honestly wonder what causes these guys to put their bodies on the line for entertainment. The guys sure do laugh at each other as a donkey kicks one of them in the cajones, but is it really that funny when the scene is set up for the donkey to do that? I can't imagine what would make someone set themselves up to be knocked out by a football to the face, but I'm not here to be anyone's psychiatrist.