Watching “”Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”” is like hearing a big inside joke: Unless you know what’s going on, you’re going to be a little confused with the punch line. Kevin Smith’s fifth installment of the “”Jersey Trilogy”” is an homage to all his fans, bringing in many of his characters and plotlines from previous films.

True to his fans, Smith provides a special edition DVD that is as packed with extras and clips as the actual film is packed with cameos from celebrities, young and old.

Slacker duo Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) become upset when they find out that their comic book characters are going to be made into a motion picture without any royalties or profits being paid to them.

They begin a quest from Newark, N.J., to Hollywood to stop the film from being made. On their epic journey, they encounter a wide range of outrageous characters, from lesbian animal activists to Federal Wildlife Marshall Willenholy (Will Ferrell), to a black director named Chaka Luther King (Chris Rock).

To truly appreciate the comedy of “”Jay and Silent Bob,”” viewing Smith’s other works — “”Clerks,”” “”Mallrats,”” “”Chasing Amy”” and “”Dogma”” — is almost necessary.

Smith doesn’t mind making fun of not only himself, but also the Hollywood scene. An act parodying commercialization, featuring the filming of “”Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season,”” is not only tongue-in-cheek but also hilariously witty.

What sets this apart from other DVDs is the amazing quantity of extras in the second DVD. An audio commentary provides anecdotes regarding the making of the film and confirms the fact that “”Jay and Silent Bob”” was tailored more for dedicated fans than the average moviegoing public.

Over an hour-and-a-half of deleted scenes are provided. Compared to even the best DVDs on the market these days, “”Jay and Silent Bob”” prevails in terms of the vast amount of deleted scenes included. Unfortunately, it becomes overkill and the pacing could have been better if there were an option to not see the director’s introduction for every scene.

Also included in the DVD is a gag reel that offers some funny out-takes of all the major characters.

But that’s not all; more extras include a sneak peek of other Miramax films, still galleries, Comedy Central’s “”Reel Comedy”” preview of the film, two music videos and a secret stash of four short films Smith made.

Considering all the additional viewing options, seeing “”Jay and Silent Bob”” is more than a one-evening event. Hopefully Smith is setting a trend in DVDs.

Jay & Silent Bob

****

Starring Jason Mewes

and Kevin Smith

In stores now

Rated R