Most comedy sequels end up getting lambasted for delivering "more of the same," but there are a few exceptions to the rule that thrive on doing just that. Jackass Number Two, which pretty much revamps the formula of the first Jackass movie (which, in turn, had just revamped the formula of the TV show), offers up fans of the original 90 minutes of exactly the same thing. Which, of course, is exactly what everybody wanted. Go figure. So the Jackass movies ain't big and they ain't clever, but there's something inherently appealing about the daredevil trope - led by the charismatic Johnny Knoxville - as they insist on doing whatever it takes to deliver a punchline. Which usually means that a lot of people are going to get hurt, of course. This sequel memorably opened with the gang being chased by a stampede of bulls, and ended with a musical number set to "The Best of Times." In short, Jackass Number Two knew exactly what it had to be and it succeeded in doing exactly that. No wonder it made a whopping $84 million dollars on a budget of $11 million.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
