Jackass Number Two (2006)
★★★ — Jackass Number Two (2006)
There is a particular kind of film that makes no pretence whatsoever about what it is. Jackass Number Two, released in September 2006 through Paramount Pictures and MTV Films, is one of those films. A loose collection of stunts, pranks and physical comedy sketches rather than anything with a conventional narrative, it follows the same format that made the original Jackass television series and its 2002 film spin-off a genuine cultural moment in the early 2000s. Love it or loathe it, the franchise had tapped into something real: a generation raised on home video bloopers and skate videos, perfectly primed for watching grown men do extraordinarily stupid things to each other and themselves. The first film had been a modest production that punched well above its weight commercially, which is what brought the whole crew back together for this second theatrical outing.
Behind the camera, as with the rest of the franchise, is Jeff Tremaine, who has made the Jackass world very much his own creative territory over the years. He also directed Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and the companion piece Jackass 2.5, which collected footage that did not make the final cut of this film. Tremaine's approach is not the sort of direction that invites lengthy critical analysis of camera angles or mise en scène. The craft here is in the editing and in the pacing, in knowing when a gag has legs and when to cut before it outstays its welcome. It is a polished but unremarkable visual style, functional rather than artistic, and that is entirely by design. The production was handled through Dickhouse Productions alongside MTV Films, keeping things relatively lean and consistent with what audiences already knew they were getting.
On screen, the returning ensemble is the real draw. Johnny Knoxville leads the charge, a performer who has shown range elsewhere (his work in The Ringer being a reasonable example of what he can do with actual scripted material), but who seems genuinely most at home here, absorbing punishment with a wide grin and a remarkable tolerance for chaos. Alongside him are Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius and Ryan Dunn, among others, a group who collectively function less like a cast and more like a gang of mates who have somehow convinced a major studio to fund their recreational lunacy. The appeal, and it is a real appeal rather than a cynical one, lies precisely in that sense of genuine camaraderie and shared commitment to the bit. Nobody here looks like they are doing it reluctantly.
Jackass Number Two is exactly what you’d expect: more stupid stunts, more painful impacts, and a whole lot more bodily fluids than anyone really needs to see. It’s funnier and slightly more polished than the first, with a few iconic moments. The chemistry between the crew is still there, and you can tell they’re having a ridiculous amount of fun, which makes it hard not to laugh along, even when you’re grimacing. That said, it’s definitely a “more of the same” deal. If you loved the original, you’ll probably enjoy this. But it also cranks up the gross-out factor. There’s more puke, more poop gags, more things going in and coming out of places they shouldn’t. It crosses the line from cheeky stupidity into full-on juvenile overload. There’s a fine art to dumb comedy, and while Jackass 2 has moments of genius, it often feels like it’s trying too hard to shock rather than just be funny. It’s not deep, it’s not clever, and yeah, it’s absolutely childish. But sometimes you just want to switch off and watch a guy get hit in the junk by a bowling ball. For what it is, it works.
What keeps me coming back to films like this, even when they test my patience, is that question of whether something succeeds on its own terms, and on balance I think this one just about does, for a certain mood and a certain audience. If the gross-out escalation lands flat for you, nothing I say will change that, and frankly I would not try. But there is something almost admirably single-minded about a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and commits to it without apology. I have sat through plenty of comedies that aimed far higher and missed far worse. Sometimes the bowling ball to the junk is the most honest thing in the room.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2006 | Watched: 2025-08-27
Trailer
▶ Watch the official trailer for Jackass Number Two (2006) on YouTube
Where to watch
Watch in the UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Jeff Tremaine: Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) · Jackass: Gumball Rally 3000 Special (2002) · Jackass 3.5 (2011) · Jackass 2.5 (2007)
More with Johnny Knoxville: Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) · Skiptrace (2016) · The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) · The Ringer (2005)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
