'Jackass: The Movie' is great. I think it's in the tradition of

Hear the thoughtful words of Matthew Barney, who reflects on the art hidden beneath chaos and laughter: “Jackass: The Movie is great. I think it is in the tradition of physical comedy, which I am deeply interested in — its relationship to gravity, and how gravity acts upon the body.” These words, though spoken of a work often seen as reckless, reveal a profound insight into the timeless struggle between flesh and the unseen forces that govern it.

From the days of the ancients, physical comedy has been a sacred mirror of human frailty. The falling, the tumbling, the daring stunts — all speak to the truth that we are creatures bound to the earth, subject to gravity and the limitations of the body. In this way, even the most outrageous spectacle is a reflection of our shared vulnerability, a reminder of both our fragility and resilience.

Barney’s fascination lies not in mere spectacle, but in the deeper relationship between the performer and the invisible force of gravity. Each leap and crash in Jackass becomes a kind of dance, a ritual enacted before the audience. The body becomes both subject and storyteller, illustrating through pain and motion the eternal dialogue between humankind and the natural laws that bind it.

Thus, what appears as chaos is, in truth, a continuation of a long tradition — the same lineage that gave rise to jesters in royal courts, to the pratfalls of ancient mimes, to the legendary clowns who turned suffering into laughter. Jackass, in its wildness, carries forward this ancient torch, bringing the mystery of the body and gravity into the modern age.

Let future generations see beyond the surface of such works. For even in madness, there is meaning, and even in laughter, there is truth. When the body defies and submits to gravity in equal measure, it speaks of the human condition itself — ever striving to rise, ever reminded of its earthly bounds.