Action Point is a humor-filled film definitely not to be taken seriously! The physical comedy moments and gags are plentiful in this movie, which include a porcupine in a petting zoo, a pool ball which is shot with a stick and launched into a character’s forehead as its target, and a machine that vaults a man into the side wall of a barn. Johnny Knoxville is in the center of all the antics and action, playing a character named D.C..
Action Point is apparently inspired by the now-defunct Action Park in Vernon, N.J. It opened years ago and was considered a very dangerous theme park. The park closed and re-opened and eventually was called Action Park before changing the name to Mountain Creek, a name that was previously and briefly used. As portrayed in this film, people that are even remotely concerned about safety would not list this amusement park at the top of their list of parks to visit for its rides!
D.C. does have his good points, despite his constant drinking and partying. He cares deeply about his daughter, Boogie (Susan Yeagley) and laments the time he missed with her when she was a child after his divorce from Boogie’s mother. But the main thrust of the film is the gags and things-gone-wrong scenes of humor. One just never knows what will happen when getting on a ride at Action Point.
It is difficult to believe in today’s world of safety precautions that the rides at this theme park were created haphazardly by hand, and that public injuries at such establishments were common and not surprising when they occurred in the 70s, even into the 80s. Knoxville flies over a small wooden hurdle on what appears to be a large skateboard in one scene, falling face-first into the dirt. In an interview about the movie Knoxville says he actually had to go to the doctor following the scene and later when he blew his nose his eye temporarily came out of its socket. So some real pain went into making the movie funny for the audience.
The focus is on the partying and dangerous rides in the movie, and there are definitely some scenes in which the audience will think, “I am glad that wasn’t me!” There are a lot of scenes of partying, a lot of strong language, and sexual situations and comments. This movie is not Dove Approved, but with tongue-in-cheek, we commend the pain that Johnny Knoxville went through during the making of this movie. Knoxville has stated that he never went through pain before as he did to make this movie. And the film is a good reminder to watch out when you are near a porcupine.
