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Review // 22 Jump Street

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Officers Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are back undercover with the (recently relocated) Jump St. division in the follow-up to 2012’s surprise hit 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street. In the first film, the undercover narcotics officers successfully took down a gang of teenage drug dealers at a local high school. Their success led to their next assignment, to be undercover students at a local college in order to bring down the dealers of a new synthetic drug on campus before it becomes a nationwide sensation.

Opening strong with an expensive car chase, filled with explosions, exposition and laughs, 22 Jump Street reunites us with familiar faces (Nick Offerman as Chief Hardy and Ice Cube as Captain Dickson) and sets up a familiar plot line. Basically the sequel has the exact same premise as the first film – with a few minor tweaks. After a student dies from drug use, Jenko and Schmidt are sent undercover. The popular kids on campus (this time the more conventional football playing frat boys) are once again their lead suspects but this time it’s up to Jenko to infiltrate their ranks while Schmidt feels useless and abandoned. Both partners go through a period of self-discovery as they take advantage of college life, from the parties, to the (now legal) ladies, and yes even the classes. Realizing how different they are the pair grow apart, leading to conflict in their working relationship – just like the first film. It isn’t until they realize that not everything works out the same way every time that Jenko and Schmidt get their big break in the case. That break brings them back together just in time for Spring Break where they face off with an international drug supplier.

The success of the first film had a lot to do with the strong chemistry between Tatum and Hill, and luckily the pair haven’t lost it. This is once again their show, and they kill it on screen. 22 Jump Street also packs a punch with the supporting cast, playing Jenko’s new (frat) brother Zook is Wyatt Russell and much like this video suggests, the pair are in sync. Russell does a good job in his first major comedic role to stay in line with Tatum and Hill. Also joining the fray are Amber Stevens, as Maya, Schmidt’s love interest and Jillian Bell as her sour roommate. With a personal tie-in to the assignment for Captain Dickson, Ice Cube gets a lot more (welcomed) screen time in 22. And Jump St. as a division really starts to take shape.

The one major drawback is nothing really feels new in the sequel. What was once so refreshing to see, and probably a big component to the success of the 2012 remake, feels a bit tired the second time around. 22 Jump Street is very much the sequel to 21 Jump Street. It employs the same self-aware comedy we’ve come to expect from writer-directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The characters encounter similar challenges, the sequel continues to tow the the very thin line between buddy comedy and gay rom-com, and the narrative structure is formulaic.  Do these elements lead to a bad film? I don’t think so, but it does tarnish the innovation associated with the duo behind the films. But if, like me, you’re a fan, you will probably still relish in the meta comedy stylings of the Clone High creators. The humour incorporates clever jabs at the Hollywood sequel machine with the basic laugh out loud potty humour that litters the trailers.

If you enjoyed the first film, you’re sure to enjoy 22 Jump Street. However, I can’t help but wonder how many of the sequel jokes will be recycled in The Lego Movie 2…

Review by Vithiya Murugadas.

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