22 JUMP STREET Exceeds All Comedy Expectations

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I loved 21 Jump Street. I thought it was smart, funny and best of all, a surprise. It managed to successfully score with its target audience and further without having to follow the mindless, juvenile fart and sex joke tropes that films in the same genre now seem to contain all too often.

I had very cautious high expectations for the sequel, 22 Jump Street. I was scared that the trailers had given the film away and that the all too familiar plot would detract from the enjoyment. That’s why I was disappointed with Neighbors (and I have heard some pretty dismal things about A Million Ways to Die in the West), so I was really hoping for a redeeming comedy this year.

22 Jump Street not only met my expectations, but it completely blew them out of the water. It is hilarious, witty and weirdly heartfelt. It’s very self aware in terms of the plot similarities to the first film and it often breaks the forth wall with little wink-wink, nudge-nudge jokes to the audience about how they decided to just redo their winning formula from the first film because it was so popular. But get, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

22 Jump Street sees the return of Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum and NWA rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube as the starting roles as two undercover cops are sent into college to once again stop a new synthetic drug spreading around by “finding the dealer and infiltrating the supplier.” The chemistry between Hill and Tatum is as good as ever, and there is a hilarious scene between Hill and Ice Cube in the middle that I won’t spoil here. I will say it was the hardest I’ve laughed in the cinema for a good long while. The action reaches new heights and the locations are bigger and better. Everything is a lot more amped up than its predecessor.

The story is pretty much paint by numbers the same as the first film and it is very aware of this. While its notion of being self-aware shouldn’t excuse the fact that the story is virtually the same, surprisingly it does work really well and so you can look past it.

Is it as good as the first film? I’d have to say no, but it’s not far off. I remember being more surprised the first time I watched 21 Jump Street and it felt a lot fresher. This sequel definitely delivers in terms of laughs, but it doesn’t quite hit the notes of the first film in terms of originality.

Will we ever see another outing from this reimagining of the cult TV series? The possibility was hinted at in 22 Jump Street. I would like to see more, but on the flip side, I would respect them more if they decided not to at risk of killing the joke. If there is another sequel, though, and it is once again helmed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, then it may very well be welcomed with open arms.

22 Jump Street is now playing in the UK where Jacob Charnick wrote this review. It opens in the States tomorrow.