22 Jump Street

If there's one criticism I have about 22 Jump Street, it's that the movie feels too similar to 21 Jump Street. But is that really a complaint? With 22 Jump Street, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The LEGO Movie) have created a massively entertaining ride, with more antics from the characters we love, and better performances all around.

This time around, they're going to college. Yeah, yeah, we've heard it before. As Ice Cube says at the end of the first film, in which the two went undercover at a high school, the tables have been turned and they're going to college now. Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) must once again go undercover at MC State to bust another drug operation, this time called WHYPHY (work hard? yes. play hard? yes.)

What worked with 21 Jump Street works again in 22 Jump Street. The excellent characters of Schmidt and Jenko are once again paired to make a hilarious and charismatic duo. Their personalities clash once more, but in a different way than the first film, and they get into even more crazy shenanigans than before. This includes having a shootout in the university library and busting a Spring Break beach party. 22 Jump Street always keeps you on edge, wondering what will happen next. While the plot is pretty standard and similar to the first film, you'll want to stick around because you love these characters so much. New characters such as Zook (Wyatt Russell) and Mercedes (Jillian Bell) feel right at home within the crazy cast. Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) is also in rare form, delivering some of the film's best moments.

This is a testament to Hill and Tatum, who put so much work into creating these characters. Jenko settles into the football team, and makes friends at a fraternity, while Schmidt performs slam poetry and does many walks of shame. Hill and Tatum are in top form. Their chemistry is better than ever, making 22 Jump Street a hilarious buddy comedy. Try not to laugh when Schmidt does slam poetry to impress a girl, I dare you.

What makes 22 Jump Street feel special is its self-referential attitude and countless meta jokes. Police chief Hardy (Nick Offerman) essentially explains why this movie was made within the first 10 minutes, saying "no one cared about the Jump Street reboot, but you guys got lucky." It's a funny way to be self-deprecating and hilarious at the same time. It plays to the audience's intelligence, rather than making them feel stupid. Other references are more subtle, like when Schmidt keeps asking about the film's budget. It all plays into a very interesting and unique humor style. While there are plenty of raunchy jokes (right in the crack), the film's best come from its self-referencing.

So, now for the all-important question: is 22 Jump Street better than the original? With its meta jokes and its excellent characterization, 22 Jump Street is a rousing success, and matches the original in sheer humor. But the plot feels too similar to the original. While this may be a fault in the film's format, a few more twists would have been appreciated. Still, 22 Jump Street is a hilarious ride, one definitely worth taking.

Hilarious, often outrageous, but above all thoroughly entertaining, 22 Jump Street manages to recapture all the humor and audacity its successful predecessor had to offer, while also offering some new thrills and unpredictability along the way. The film strikes a unique and clever balance between exploring new comedic ideas and continuing the themes from the first installment, as it maintains its core story but also offers enough twists to create new excitement. Although the storyline is very much similar to the first film, it does seem fresh and original at the same time, which creates a sequel that can be differentiated from others, as the plot is not merely redesigned in an awkward and uninteresting way. But perhaps the film's dominant feature continues to be the strong chemistry between the two leading men, who again combine their talents to create the ultimate comedy team. Overall this comedy sequel stands out due to its ability to embrace the success of the its predecessor, as 22 Jump Street uses the power of repetition to recreate the unique comedic atmosphere, which allows the film to establish a very distinct comedy series.

Quickie Review:

After a successful undercover drug bust operation in high school, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get their next big assignment. Now in the sequel 22 Jump Street, as Ice Cube so eloquently put it, these "two sons of b***hes are going to college." As the cop duo take on yet another drug ring, they go through multitude of ridiculous yet hilarious situations. In doing so, there are some formulaic traps that the movie does fall into. Despite that, it is just an incredible ride with non-stop laughter and great comedic chemistry between the lead actors. This is a must-see for fans of 21 Jump Street and people who generally like to laugh.

Full Review:

The original movie, 21 Jump Street, was a surprise hit back in 2012. It was a movie filled with many belly aching moments of laughter. For that reason, of all the comedies of 2014 this sequel may be the most anticipated, at least it was for me. So the question is: does it deliver on the high expectations? And the answer is: oh hell yes it does.

There is one absolute in this franchise that no one will dispute, the chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is incredible. As soon as their on screen you immediately start smiling, just because you feel the need to prepare yourself for something amusing. Then when they do go about their shenanigans, numerous twists and turns occur that are fun to watch unfold, to hilarious effect. The jokes are fast paced and relentless, without it being tiresome. More importantly the comedy is actually clever, even during some of the scenarios the are more stupid due to some absurdity. The combination of the comedic duo and the intelligent humor work flawlessly, making the flick all the more entertaining. As great as the two leads are with their comedic timing, I need to especially mention Ice Cube. I won't spoil anything of course, but there are points in this movie where Ice Cube actually steals the scenes he is in. I'd pay the full movie ticket price just to see that dynamic between Ice Cube and the two leads. It is that good.

I do recognize there are some faults with 22 Jump Street. It did stick with the philosophy of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." In that sense, the general story plot is pretty much the same as the original movie. 22 Jump Street is self-aware of what it is, and pokes fun of itself for being a sequel that follows the formula. However, addressing this fault in that comedic way will not be enough for everyone to forgive it. Still, I think this is something that you can easily look past because of how enjoyable the movie is.

The one purpose of a comedy is to make you laugh, and 22 Jump Street fulfills that requirement consistently throughout the movie. By throughout the movie, I mean even during the credits. Your cheeks will have a good exercise, because mine were in pain with all the laughing. It is well worth your time and money, so don't miss out on this one. If they keep this up I will be there even at 1022 Jump Street.

It's pretty easy to review this one. If you liked the first one, you're in for a treat. It holds up to the expectations and plays cleverly with 'being aware' of making basically the same movie again. The good thing about this flick is, that it doesn't take itself too seriously while at the same time delivering a good and fast paced story with quite some surprises and good action. I basically laughed from the first minute up to the (awesome!) end credits! If you like that type of comedy, this one is for you, as it delivers on point and, without a doubt, is the funniest flick this year so far! Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have a great chemistry and you can see and feel, how they enjoyed doing this movie. Like the first one, 22 Jump Street does a great job observing the different aspects of college life, students and teachers (or professors for that matter). Everyone who's been to college can relate to those stereotypes (e.g. the pseudo intellectuals, the sport jocks, the art students etc.) and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller ("The Lego Movie") do a great job spoofing those clichés while at same time debunk the downsides and shallowness of those groups or college life in general.

Verdict: Go see it, if you liked the first one. I can't say if it's better, but it certainly holds up. And I liked the first one pretty much. So there you go...

First of all, big complements to the protagonists. The chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is incredible. As soon as their on screen you immediately start smiling, just because you feel the need to prepare yourself for something amusing. The jokes are fast paced and relentless, without it being tiresome. More importantly the comedy is actually clever, even during some of the scenarios the are more stupid due to some absurdity.

22 Jump Street is self-aware of what it is, and pokes fun of itself for being a sequel that follows the formula. However, addressing this fault in that comedic way will not be enough for everyone to forgive it. At the other hand, I think this is something that you can easily look past because of how enjoyable the movie is. The requirement of a comedy is to make you laugh, and 22 Jump Street fulfills it totally. Your cheeks will definitely have a good exercise! ;)