22 Jump Street

All these reviews are bashing the crap out of this movie. 'It's aimless drivel and only for mindless idiots'. Well....Yeah. When I watch a comedy like this that's what I hope for. Sometime you just want to turn off your brain for an hour and a half and watch two familiar "actors" play out ridiculous but easy enough to grasp scenarios while they foolishly react. A post-viewing critique is pointless because the directors have no intention of it being able to hold up on creative or any kind of artistic merit. If you want to think about what you're watching, or enjoy good story development, or simply see some great acting then there are plenty of movies like Rashomon, Eraserhead, The Man from Earth, Memories of Murder, Hitchcock films, Miyszaki films, or something like Life Is Beautiful or It's A Wonderful Life(I forget which is which, both great). And there's nothing wrong with a good documentary know and then either. But something good and properly stupid can be just the right thing when you need to take a respite. Not all comedies are going to be a quipping Woody Allen flicks. It's really about getting a good balance in your movies types and picking the right one for your current mood. In other words this movie is just what it intends to be and just what wanted it to be. Pure and easy entertainment.

...Now I'm going to get my Audrey Hepburn on and watch My Fair Lady.

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.

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.

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...

My initial expectations were that '22 Jump Street' would be an over-the- top and cheesy sequel created solely to make money... I was wrong. '22 Jump Street' truly builds on the basis of the first film, further expanding upon the bromantic chemistry between Tatum and Hill creating an even more solid sequel full of good-natured humour and relentless action that made its predecessor such a great film. With Ice Cube having more of an impact this time round, the trio pursue their leads to ensure the villains are brought to justice. The direction duo have pulled off another amazing film to add to their filmography, a truly impressive and hilariously funny film.