Jackass 3D Is The Greatest 3D Film Ever
I already wrote about the beauty of stupidity in slow-motion 3D over at Roto Hardball, but I naturally want to expand my thoughts over here.
If Avatar was an attempt to show how 3D can be used skillfully in a massive production to add depth and wonder to an otherwise shallow experience, Jackass 3D is a blueprint on how to make a gimmick movie twice as entertaining to watch. Avatar is directed very well by James Cameron, with some beautiful shots of the fictional world of Pandora and its absurd flora and fauna, and easy-to-follow action scenes. Jackass 3D is shot like its television predecessor, other than the opening and closing bits (which feature the most impressive 3D action of the movie), but the 3D manages to make every stunt and stupid activity that much more hilarious or terrifying. And the latter seems like a much more efficient use of 3D.
James Cameron spent hundreds of millions of dollars to create the 3D technology needed to shoot the Avatar film he had always imagined. I can’t say it was a dumb decision, considering he made all his money back and more (and it got my ass in the theater), but I can’t see the technology holding the same pull in the coming years. I don’t want to put on glasses every time I sit down in a theater to watch a blockbuster movie.
On that note, I’m ecstatic that Christopher Nolan eschewed from filming in 3D for The Dark Knight Returns, choosing to go back to the IMAX well. Yeah, I might have had a painful experience when I attended a domed IMAX screening of The Dark Knight, but the added clarity due to the massive resolution of IMAX film is truly incredible — it makes a regular film look blurry in comparison. I just need to go to a regular IMAX theater or sit further towards the back next time.
Getting back to Jackass 3D, stunts like throwing shoes into the exhaust of a jet engine or climbing up a tree and then cutting it down were greatly enhanced by the 3D effect. The speed at which objects flew once they were tossed behind the jet engine was ridiculously intimidating. When one of the guys ran out of way in pure fear, I could understand, as I was scared just sitting in my seat. Although, I actually wanted to participate in the tree cutting bit. Being on top of a 40 foot tree while it falls into snow piled a dozen feet high looked way too fun to be truly dangerous. But I thought the most transcendent experience was watching Bam Margera punch people in the face in slow-motion 3D to the Rocky theme. Sometimes it’s the simple things.
Of course, there were the usual nauseating Steve-O bits, Johnny Knoxville bull escapades, and Chris Pontius penis utilization. Oh, and first-person urination — where the penis is the person. It’s the same Jackass you’ve always loved or hated, only now with an added dimension to make the action a bit more exciting and disgusting. I’m sure you could argue that the 3D doesn’t really add much, but it’s not like there’s any thoughtful cinematography that is ruined by the forced depth-of-field; nor is there that added darkness which some people complain about with 3D movies.
Maybe going on Bargain Tuesday and paying only $6 for a 3D movie instead of $13 has clouded my judgement, but I don’t think you can go wrong with going to see Jackass 3D if you at all enjoyed its predecessors. Unfortunately, this post is probably too late for those of you that haven’t seen it. So I guess you’ll have to buy a 3D HDTV. They’re not insanely expensive or anything.
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