Action Point (dir. Tim Kirkby)

Sometimes words just aren’t necessary. In cases which refer to “actor” Johnny Knoxville, the rule is doubly evident, and even more so when talking about one of his newest cinematic ventures. Having not heard of his newest film until around 24 hours before I went to see it, “Action Point” is a mish-mash of “Adventureland” and the lowest common denominator skits from his “Jackass” staple - and it simply fails to do any of the most basic tenants of a comedy film.

As it’s seemingly no longer viable to create a film around a series of increasing unwatchable stunts, Knoxville and co attempt to mount a project which has a wrap-around plot, in the similar vein of his Bad Grandpa work of yesteryear. In fact, when we first meet DC (Knoxville), he’s dressed in his prosthetic get-up from the "Bad Grandpa" comedy vehicle, and is seen reminiscing with his granddaughter. We soon zip-back to a loose summer in 1979, and our storyline pits the eponymous amusement park being thwarted with closure due to rival park “7 Parks” hoping to acquire their land - led by their obnoxious leader Knobclock (Dan Bakkedahl). Along for the ride are some familiar faces to the Jackass scene, including the obnoxious Chris Pontius (whose name I don’t even want to remember), as well as a disparate group of individuals - including DC’s estranged daughter Boogie (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) in from New York - who’s come to Los Angeles to spend time with her dad whilst also hoping he’ll sign the adoption papers for her mother’s new boyfriend.

Lets say for the sake of the argument that the Jackass films succeeded due to being sporadically entertaining. You’d have to have a serious aversion to comedy to not finding aspects of the slapstick humor from these tentpoles not occasionally humorous, however before-long the inevitable return of the toilet humor would sweep you back into realms of gratuitousness. In the case of “Action Point”, its only interested in the occasional scene of our titular hero falling of a water slide, or being catapulted through a barn door - and in one of the most disgusting moments i’ve seen in a long time in film history - an extended sequence of intimacy that would gross out even the most vigilant horror fans.

Knoxville seems utterly desperate, and under the direction of a TV director Tim Kirkby (Veep, 30 Rock)- who’s never helmed a film before - it’s all far to amateurish and inconsequential to justify it’s existence. Even if these facets were passable, it’s increasingly bland and not even remotely funny.

Rating 1/5.