The digital release Jackass 3.5 is in many ways more inspired than Jackass 3-D. Perhaps it is because they include failed bits, but it feels like this collection pushes the boundaries of creative stunts more than the latest theatrical film.

The performers’ personalities are on display even more. In 3-D, Steve-O lamented, “Why do I have to be Steve-O” before letting a tee ball hit him in the nuts. In 3.5 he lets an alligator snapping turtle bite him on the ass. This shows way more of Steve-O’s personality as he screams, “F*** F*** F***” while it hangs onto a juicy chunk of cheek. The most telling part is that Steve-O complains he knew it wouldn’t let go, so his prophecy was fulfilled. Any time Chris Pontius introduces a bit it’s brilliant.

3.5 certainly feels more dangerous. In Doo Doo Falls, Dave England just falls off the vehicle, forget about riding it down a ramp. With the flaming gauntlet, Steve-O does what has to be the most dangerous Jackass stunt ever attempted. The graphic stitching-up of Johnny Knoxville’s hand shows what’s at stake.

The failures seem like they’d have more potential if they’d just stuck it out, but the displays of athletic prowess are mighty. Dave England and Bam Margera can jump really high for impressive flying kicks. Barrel surfing is actually a noble athletic endeavor and Chris Pontius and Bam Margera manage to stand for a few seconds. The Incredible Nut Shots are really clever setups and you see how hard they are to land, so it’s even more impressive.

There’s definitely more nudity, and way close up. Slow motion close-ups of Wee Man’s balls complement medium shots of Pontius’s limp dick twirling around. Enema Long Jump may qualify as the most disgusting and most inspired Jackass stunt ever. They’re measuring athletic ability and bowel movements in the same exercise.

Jackass 3.5 is a treat for a digital download or video on demand. It’s brand new material, completely at the level of the theatrical franchise, directly available in the privacy of your home.

Jackass 3.5 is available April 1 on Joost.com. I got to see the whole thing, but Joost viewers will get weekly doses, one stunt at a time, updated Tuesdays and Fridays on Joost.com.

He really lit up when I started asking him about Jackass 3.5 and told us some of the crazy stunts we’ll see in the digital exclusive sequel. It’s nice to know that a Jackass still takes pride in his work.

Q: Is the Venice Family Clinic the Jackass crew’s clinic of choice for your injuries?

JK: Yes, if we get injured, we demand to be taken there. No matter if we’re in New Mexico, we have to be flown back.

Q: Do you use your Jackass money to give back to charity?

JK: Yes, I have, yes.

Q: We’re very excited about the digital release of Jackass 3.5. What cool stunts got left out of Jackass 3-D that we’re going to finally get to see?

JK: Oh man, we’re really proud of Jackass 3.5. There’s a lot of great stuff in it. We name things so ridiculously. I love the bit it first starts off with. I can’t for the life of me think of what we named it but Ryan Dunn has a rocket attached to his crotch, and we ignite it and it goes on a line all the way up about, I don’t know, 70 feet away to Bam’s anus. Bam catches it with his anus, the penis rocket. That’s pretty artsy.

Q: You rode a jet ski in a tuxedo. What else do we see you do in 3.5?

JK: Oh, there’s a funny thing with Steve-O, a bit he’s turned down for 6-7 years. It’s with an alligator snapping turtle. He finally does it in 3.5. After he got finished doing the bit, he’s like, “No wonder I turned that down for 7 years.”

Q: Was he upset that it got cut out of Jackass 3-D after he finally did it?

JK: No. Well, everyone gets a little upset when something doesn’t make it, especially when they get injured. They understand that 3.5 is going to be a big deal and people will see it then. One of my favorite things I ever shot and one thing that took us longer to shoot than any bit we ever shot is in 3.5. It’s Incredible Nut Shots. Have you ever seen those basketball montages of people doing amazing basketball shots, from like 100 feet away, kick it and it goes into a basketball hoop.

Q: I see where you’re going with this.

JK: We do the same thing with nuts, with basketballs. Some shots took three days and 13 hours to get. I set a record, I did one in Long Beach off the Ferris Wheel. It took two full days, 1 ½ days, 11 hours of riding the Ferris Wheel continuously.

Q: And you wait ‘til you’re at the top?

JK: Yeah, I wait ‘til I get to the top and throw it and it ricochets off a trampoline into Dave England. No one’s ridden a Ferris Wheel that much down there.

Q: Are they all into Dave’s nuts?

JK: No, everyone. I got some. It was the last thing to go out of Jackass 3.

Q: Was there a lot of pressure at the studio to put it out theatrically since Jackass 3-D did so well?

JK: There was talk of it. Jackass 3.5 is great but we wanted to put it out like it was intended, on DVD and online. So we’re very excited about it coming out. We shot some really funny wraparound interviews for the bits in Spain and Ireland, took the cast over there. We got some great stuff.

Q: Do we have to wait until 2014 to get the gang back together?

JK: Oh, I don’t know, man. We’re open to it now. I don’t know what’s going on. We’re not saying no to a 4 but we’re just kind of stepping back for a second.

Jackass 3D, a film the Academy should be deeply ashamed for snubbing this year for Best Picture, returns on April 1st with an 85-minute half-sequel released right to the internet. Called Jackass 3.5, the film is a collection of unused bits featuring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera and should be Oscar-contender Wee Man. I’ve never seen Javier Bardem kick himself in the head or wear an Oompa Loompa costume. Not even once.

The movie will be available via the Jackass Facebook Page and Joost, the streaming media site I knew existed but never cared to use until now.

This is an awesome idea. Yeah, it’d be cool to see more 3D donkey nut punches, but $25 is still $25. My only worry is that the film is scheduled to release April Fools Day, so hopefully playing the movie doesn’t result in getting some kind of hilarious computer virus that forces your desktop pattern to be an animation of Steve-O vomiting. Actually, for a free Jackass movie, I’ll take that trade. (/Film)

Director: Jeff Tremaine

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Ryan Dunn

Synopsis: The Jackass boys are back at it again.

Release Date: March 2011