The Plot:
Presented by the noted BMX champion, Mat Hoffman's celebration of all things Knievel gives us massive jumps, daring back flips, distance trials, and other two wheeled tricks. There is a combination of motorized and people-powered vehicles on display, though it's fair to say that even the man-maneuvered bikes get a fair bit of fuel-injected help (they are towed to up their necessary speed factors). There are a few failures along the way - things are set up to set the world record for longest leap when weather and construction elements conspire to undermine the attempt. Along with a showing of sheer stupidity involving an airplane, a skydiver, and the significant lack of a parachute, the rest of this outing brings new meaning to the words 'daring', 'determination' and just plain 'dumb'.

The DVD:
Nothing more than a series of striking motorcycle stunts infused with the trademarked Jackass joking (and requisite groin punches), Mat Hoffman's tribute is really centered around showing how meaningless the term "daredevil" has become. There used to be a time, back when punk battled disco for sonic supremacy, when nothing was "extreme" and anyone foolish enough to risk their life in service of entertainment's lowest crash-oriented common denominator was pitied, not paraded around as a hero. Sure, Master Knievel was an exception, a carefully marketed carryover from the roadshow circuit who used his death defying determination to create an aura of invincibility around his battered and beaten body. As kids growing up in the '60s and '70s, footage of the famed rider flying over his handlebars at the end of his Caesar's Palace run, limbs crumbling at unnatural angles (and in drama inducing slow motion), guaranteed lots of merchandising profiles. We ran to our local toy stores to pick up our very own Evel action figure, and revved up his scale model mini-bike to jump over our own miniature obstacles. Of course, by the time he encased himself in a homemade Roman candle and dared to traverse the Snake River Canyon, even the dimmest adolescent could see the bloom was off this rather rank rose. It's one thing to leap the length of a football field on nothing more than a modified chopper. The minute technology took over, the fanbase turned its attention to more worthy geek concerns.

So part of the pleasure in Hoffman's showcase is how reverent everyone is. If there is a smirk buried underneath the undying praise for the late showman, no one here is offering it. Instead, the video camera crew watches as various world record feats are set up and executed. Most succeed. A couple fail. And in the end, everyone explores the outer limits of bodily risk and stunt safety. Of course, no one takes more abuse than our cocky co-conspirator, that cynical crash test dummy known as Johnny Knoxville. Since it is presented under the Jackass logo, the delightfully dim bulb goes along for the ride, literally, taking the helm of bikes he is ill prepared to handle (he even claims to have never ridden a motorcycle before) and, as a result, he pays a dear price. Sure, there are the obligatory crashes and comic cock-ups. But one trick gone tragic leaves the star with a ruptured urethra and a pant seat loaded with blood. Nice. Elsewhere, participants like Travis Pastrana, Davin "Psycho" Halford, Trigger Gumm, and "Midget" Mike provide their own homemade takes on standard jumps, utilizing an open field as their course. Perhaps the best material is saved for the end, when Chris Palmer jumps out of an airplane WITHOUT A PARACHUTE. What happens next is worth the price of admission in and of itself.

The rest of this 47 minute presentation will thrill the motor sports enthusiast and piss off the Knoxville fanbase. Since it lacks any other members of the celebrated crew except for Jeff Tremain and Spike Jonze (who proves his own hog handling acumen), those hoping for more socially unacceptable hi-jinx will be waiting quite a while. Since many of these stunts could result in serious injury - not to mention death - there is very little purposeful playing. Of course, there is cutting up, and the occasional bollocks blow, but Mat Hoffman's Tribute to Evel Knievel is more concerned with performance than pratfalls. Perhaps that's why Knoxville is on hand. He can draw in the demo, and take the material mandated lumps, without destroying the carefully controlled safety standards. Consider him a jester among serious stuntmen and you won't mind the frequent flailing. In fact, it's hard to predict who will cotton to this confusing, if ultimately satisfying, display. Do fans of daredevils really appreciate the Jackass brand, or do they find it an affront to the very nature of what the professionals do? Equally intriguing, will aficionados waiting to see Bam beat up his dad, or Steve-O have his penis pierced care about a bunch of guys paying homage to an outdated hero from a previous generation? These are interesting inquiries, questions that make this tribute a tricky item to recommend. The action is definitely first class. How it's packaged is another story entirely.

The Video:
Captured on video and offered in a flat, 1.33:1 full screen transfer, Mat Hoffman's Tribute to Evel Knievel looks no better or worse than your camcorder stunt spectacle. Since up close angles are rare, and with long shots required to capture the entirety of a bit, there is not much to the visual presentation. Again, the most compelling material captures Palmer, shirtless, freefalling through some wide open airspace. It has all the imminent danger the motorcycle footage fails to fully capture.

The Audio:
This is standard Dolby Digital Stereo, conversations captured by rudimentary internal microphone technology. Sure, some of the staged interviews are handled in a more professional manner, but overall, the mix reflects the off the cuff nature of the production - at least from the spec side of things.

The Extras:
In order to make up for the rather paltry running time, MTV and Paramount plug as many bonus features as they can onto this single DVD. As the cover art accurately proclaims, there is over an hour of added content here, and some of it is very good. The reflections by those on hand regarding Knievel and his career are very insightful, as is the basic Behind the Scenes material. We are also treated to Travis Pastrana working out the kinks in "the pit", an overview of Hoffman and his own illustrious vocation, a montage of riders getting Knievel inspired tattoos, and a collection of music videos. Toss in a photo gallery, a recap of Knoxville's trip to the hospital (it is some gruesome, nasty stuff), a look at the life and unlucky draw of BMX rider Stephan Murray, and you've got a nicely fleshed out presentation.

Final Thoughts:
As a long standing supporter of Jackass and all it stands for (even the frequent forays into irredeemable scatology), this critic can't complain about what Mat Hoffman tries to accomplish here. His intentions are noble and his execution quite impressive. Sure, there could have been more material like what the insane Scott Palmer accomplishes. He represents the true heart of Knievel's death defying persona. Still, for what this production offers and the compelling way it's presented, this DVD earns a Recommended rating. It will not completely satisfy the needs of anyone who enjoys either Jackass or motorcycle trickery, but in the end, it does redefine the 'daredevil' for the 21st Century. Clearly, from wherever he is, our man in the red, white, and blue jumpsuit would be damn proud.

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