ACTION POINT (R)
Released by Paramount Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
It gives me no such pleasure in saying that ACTION POINT is a crushing disappointment. And this is coming from someone who just so happens to be a huge fan of both nostalgic coming-of-age summer camp movies (i.e. MEATBALLS, ADVENTURELAND, THE WAY WAY BACK, etc.) and the pure, unadulterated irreverence and stupidity of JACKASS. Where does this film go wrong? Well, ACTION POINT is short on sufficient laughs and it’s shockingly light on the insane stunts many viewers might be expecting, particularly in a day and age when superstars like Tom Cruise appear to be risking it all for your grand entertainment.
As ACTION POINT opens, elderly D.C. (Johnny Knoxville doing what could best be described as a slightly less crude carbon copy of his BAD GRANDPA/Irving Zisman persona) enjoys a bit of quality time with his tenacious granddaughter. To pass time with the youngster, D.C. shares lively stories of his glory days as the operator of a run down theme park, circa the 70’s. Through the miracle that is the cinematic flashback, we are treated to these glory days first hand. Said days chronicle the life of a considerably younger D.C. as he boozes it up with his friends (included, his “Jackass” bro, Chris Pontius) all while maintaining the day to day operations of his beloved theme park.
D.C.’s carefree bordering on reckless attitude is challenged a bit after his estranged ex-sends their teenage daughter (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) to stay with him over the course of one turbulent summer. Adding to that turbulence is the arrival of a competing theme park. With attendance sharply dropping at his own park, D.C. resorts to desperate measures in an attempt to square off against the massive corporate competition. This leads he and his misfit staff to remove safety features from many of their most popular attractions in the hope that, perhaps, the danger factor will increase their attendance.
The big hook in ACTION POINT, of course, is that it features real “Jackass”-style stunts only here, the stunts are part of an actual narrative film. Sort of. The truth is, there isn’t much of a script to speak of and what starts off as a movie that looks as if it’s going to be a shit ton of insane, irreverent, profane, non-PC fun quickly wears thin inside of 15 minutes. I’m all for loosey goosey but ACTION POINT is even thinner on plot then it is on laughs. It all plays like a really bad, bottom of the barrel Happy Madison production with Knoxville and Pontius standing in for Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider.
Per Knoxville, the moment his younger D.C. appears on screen for the first time, one can’t help but notice how much the “Jackass” days have clearly taken a toll on him. To say that this one time fearless jackass looks battered and worn down would be a gross understatement. It’s actually quite a depressing sight to behold especially when taking into consideration that Knoxville has actually has more to offer. He’s shown real acting chops in his post-“Jackass” days. He can be affable and extremely funny when given the right material to work with (see his nutty work in THE RINGER, MEN IN BLACK II, and BIG TROUBLE.) He even has the ability to emote as is evident by way of a well acted scene between he and Cox in the final act. It’s simply unfortunate that what could have been a moving moment between a father and daughter is rendered moot because it doesn’t feel earned.
As for the stunts, ACTION POINT really doesn’t make good on its promise. There are a couple of amusing, cringe-worthy bits (including one that came dangerously close to popping one of Knoxville’s eyeballs out), but for the most part, it’s a bust. What’s more worth noting though, aren’t the stunts we do get but the ones that we don’t get. There are a handful of moments in ACTION POINT when the film appears to be building towards something big but then, it ultimately recoils and doesn’t payoff in a sort of substantial way. Look no further than a sequence in which D.C. is chasing down a bus on the freeway. Those waiting for a big SPEED caliber moment are going to be sorely disappointed. It should also be noted that the twinkle in Knoxville’s eye has certainly faded. He now appears more tentative then ever before but quite honestly, I can’t say that I blame him for that. It used to be an uproarious thrill to see the lengths at which this dopey guy would go to shock and amuse viewers, but now, I’m really starting to fear for this man’s life, and there’s simply nothing fun about that.
ACTION POINT offers up a few scattershot laughs and 2 or 3 moderately entertaining stunts but for the most part, this film is largely unfunny and all the grandiose, juvenile stunts fans are truly hoping for never really materialize. The most interesting aspect of this film might just be the meta subtext. One might get the sense that the fashion in which D.C. laments over lost time due to his madcap Action Point antics sort of mirrors Knoxville and his real life “Jackass” days. Of course, that’s probably me overreaching a bit. Whatever the case may be, ACTION POINT is nowhere near as funny or death defying as it could have and should have been.
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