To the untrained eye, 22 Jump Street is an action comedy about two undercover cops (brought to manic life by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum) who get into all kinds of hilarious shenanigans during their latest. However, while the film features a number of laugh-out-loud moments and a handful of memorable action set pieces, it’s really the biggest, broadest bromance since 2009 comedy I Love You Man.
Absolutely no one expected the big-screen version of the 1987-1991 television drama 21 Jump Street – which famously launched Johnny Depp’s career – to be a box office success, and even fewer thought that the film would actually be a worthwhile cinematic experience. Yet, the film’s comedic riff on the show’s basic premise of police officers going undercover as students not only brought in more than $200 million worldwide but earned an impressive 85% Fresh rating on RottenTomatoes.com. So a sequel was, in Hollywood’s eyes at least, inevitable.
The ridiculously titled 22 Jump Street (though no more eye-rolling a title than Ocean’s 12 or The Last Exorcism, Part II) essentially picks up right where its predecessor ended, complete with a cheesy “Previously on 21 Jump Street…” intro. Before long, Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are back in school – this time, a college campus – and their partnership is once again called into question as their investigation pulls them in different directions. Both Hill and Tatum are far more confident in these roles, and returning player Ice Cube has a meatier role (and some of the best moments) the second time around. In short, the cast is all-around spectacular, including fresh-faced additions like Amber Stevens, Wyatt Russell and Jillian Bell.
What really sells 22 Jump Street to even the most skeptical of moviegoers, however, is its effective use of meta-humor. Comedy sequels are known for shamelessly repeating the gags and setups of their predecessors (cough, cough… The Hangover Part II …cough, cough), and while 22 Jump Street still adheres to the standard missteps that usually befall sequels, it does so with a consistent wink to the audience throughout the film. Right from the start, the film goes out of its way to not-so-subtly lampoon itself and even throws in a few curveballs designed to keep audiences on their toes. Just when you think the film has fallen wholeheartedly into predictability, it twists and turns in a way that reminds viewers that this “dumb comedy” actually has a whole lot of intelligence and thoughtfulness put into its execution.
After their stellar work on animated favorites like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie, director Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have proven that they are among the most reliable filmmakers working today. The Jump Street films only serve to solidify the fact that this duo is adept at custom-fitting their fast-paced wit and unique vision for audiences of all ages. It’s no wonder that they were offered the chance to direct the stuck-in-development-hell Ghostbusters 3.
The entertainment industry, at its most basic, is a business. So it should be no surprise that 22 Jump Street exists. However, in an age when every property is being remade, rebooted and sequelized to death, it’s refreshing to see a film that manages to play the Hollywood game yet somehow subvert the rules to serve their own ends. 22 Jump Street may not be the best film of the year, but the fact that it is this good is a testament to the team that’s been assembled to bring this quirky world to life.
Two years ago, a 21 Jump Street film may not have been on anyone’s wish list, but as it stands, its sequel is sure to leave fans hoping that Lord and Miller eventually get around to taking us down to 23 Jump Street for one last adventure. Fingers crossed.
Rating: 4 out of 5
22 Jump Street stars Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Amber Stevens, Wyatt Russell and Jillian Bell. It is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and is now in theaters.