22 Jump Street barely attempts to evoke the original series, and it’s clear what it aims to do instead. This film is a comedy and a bromance that pokes fun at the ridiculousness of grown men pretending to be high schoolers; or, in this case, college kids. As such, it succeeds in delivering a frat boy style comedy that offers crude laughs with great impact.
By Keeva Stratton
Following the success of their first undercover mission, Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are back for yet another assignment. This time (given their obvious age, which apparently was not obvious last time),they are sent to college to investigate a new drug that’s hurting young kids. It’s at college where trouble hits the heart of this once inseparable duo. Jenko has finally found a place where he belongs, among the jocks and meatballs on the college football team. Schmidt, on the other hand, is scoring with the women, but seems to be quickly losing his bond with his undercover partner.
The two are drifting apart. By focussing on the challenges of their relationship, the film draws many laughs, but the cop story is sacrificed. The characters themselves often reference the dire state of many sequels, and the film plays down to this expectation. A growing number of movies emerging from Hollywood seem to be depending on self-effacing humour, and, sadly, it’s wearing a little thin. While admittedly there are good laughs to be had in this film, too many come from crude slapstick moments. It’s also very patchy, with some scenes evoking more cringe than comedy.
One of the standout performances was from the little known Jillian Bell. Her hilarious performance as the sociopathic roommate was superb. Hopefully we will be seeing a lot more of her talents in future. If you remove any judgement on its loose link to the TV series that an entire generation holds dear, this film sits comfortably in the company of recent big budget comedies. Hill and Tatum are indeed talented, and you can’t help but want them to find their love for each other once more.
There is a lot to suggest that this is the last we will see of this particular reboot, and that’s probably not a bad thing. Where the first film instalment was excellent, this latest falls short. While the actors looked like they were having a blast, I’m just not sure the audience had as much fun this time around.
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill
Rating: MA15+
Runtime: 112mins
Release Date: 19 June
Reviewer rating: 3/5
