In 2012, we were given the action comedy 21 Jump Street, a buddy cop movie that starred Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and was based off the 80’s television show.
It’s hard for buddy cop movies or adaptations of old TV shows to work on the big screen, but Phil Lord and Christopher Miller found a way to create one of the funniest movies in the last few years, contributed by great writing and the chemistry between Tatum and Hill. Lord and Miller have a good track record also directing and wrote the critically acclaimed Lego Movie earlier this year, but now they face their toughest challenge yet: a sequel.
Is 22 Jump Street as good as the original, or does it rely too much on the original? The overall plot is relatively similar to the first movie. Hill and Tatum star as cops Schmidt and Jenko, who are forced to go undercover again to find the dealers of a drug called WHYPHY. The catch this time is that they are going to college.
Whereas the first film had Schmidt hang out with the popular kids and Jenko spend time with the nerds, this time Jenko hangs out with the football team and develops a strong bond with one of the players named Zook, while Schmidt hangs out with the art students and begins a romantic relationship with Maya. Jenko questions his future as a cop and as Schmidt’s partner when he is much more fit and ready for action than his friend, putting a strain on their relationship.
The plot may be similar, but the writers are allowed to do more with Schmidt and Jenko not only since they are no longer rookies, but also because they have been put into different cliques than the first one. They make fun of the fact that the plot is similar to the first film, but unlike The Hangover sequels, that feeling is not present throughout the whole movie. Thanks to a combination of clever writing and well done action scenes, Miller and Lord find a way for the audience to be invested in the action yet keep on laughing with funny lines and slapstick comedy. There are occasionally jokes that overstay the welcome, such as Jenko and Zook’s relationship and a particular confrontation in the final battle, but they don’t ruin the movie. The most hilarious moments in the film involves Schmidt and Maya’s relationship, but I won’t spoil what it is.
Once again, Hill and Tatum are one of the main reasons the film works so well. Buddy cop movies can only work if the cops have great chemistry. Their youthful appearances make it understandable why their characters make the mistakes they do. They seem comfortable in their roles, and they look like they’re having a lot of fun. The supporting cast is not as memorable as the nerds and villains from the first film, but they do succeed in bringing laughs, particularly Maya’s roommate.
Ice Cube is also back as Captain Dickinson and Cube does what he does best: swear, yell, and issue orders. There is also a number of cameos in this movie, particularly during the end credits sequence. I recommend you stay and watch the first part of the credits.
Though 22 Jump Street does tread some of the same waters with a few jokes that overstay their welcome, it is still an entertaining, well directed, and hilarious movie. The actors are still at the top of their game, the action perfectly blends with the comedy, and the writers found ways to expand the characters despite their development in the first one. Lord and Miller seem to have a talent for making movies that sound like a bad idea into some of the most fun movies I’ve seen, and I’ll definitely be looking out for what they make in the future.
22 Jump Street will be playing in Wallenberg Auditorum on Sept. 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
-Brady Lass