22 Jump Street

It's hard to review 22 Jump Street, because the movie does such a great job of critiquing itself.  It's aware of itself, and calls out the fact that its essentially an unnecessary sequel, that the budget is unnecessarily bigger and that the plot is virtually the same as the very clever 21 Jump Street adaptation from two years ago.  Ordinarily, this kind of meta humor where the characters constantly point out the flaws and cliches of the movie they're in drives me bonkers.  But directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie) and their team of writers find a way to make it work here.

No, this Jump Street movie doesn't have as many big laughs as the first.  But it still holds more laughs than any other movie this year since...Well, the last movie Lord and Miller did.  As we rejoin cop partners Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum), they are involved in a rather conventional drug bust scene, with shootouts, a car chase and perilous stunts.  To show that the filmmakers have some creativity, they do manage to throw an octopus in the mix somehow.  When the expensive, stunt-filled drug bust ends up being a disappointment, the stern-faced Deputy Chief Hardy (Nick Offerman) tells them point blank that the new formula isn't working, and that the two cops should just go back to doing the same thing they did last time.  Our heroes are not happy about this.  Jenko even suggests they could try being secret service agents trying to save the President. (A funny dig at Tatum's White House Down from last summer.) But the Chief is adamant.  He flat up admits that Schmidt and Jenko are going back to basics, only going undercover at college this time instead of high school.

Naturally, this time around the boys will be working with a bigger budget ("as if that could double the profits", the Chief scoffs), and also out of a new headquarters, which is located across the street from the building they were at last time.  This new building is pointlessly sleek, with an expensive but useless high-tech office for the returning Captain Dickson (Ice Cube).  Schmidt and Jenko are given orders to infiltrate a college campus, and find the source of a dangerous new drug that recently killed a student.  And yes, the movie is aware that this is the exact same plot as last time, and has some fun with this.  Wisely, the script does throw in some new complications, such as Jenko becoming best friends with a college football hero (Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt), and the bond between them becoming so strong that it threatens to break up the partnership he shares with Schmidt. ("Maybe we should investigate different people", he tells him.) There is also a love interest for Schmidt (Amber Stevens), who comes equipped with a hilariously sarcastic and deadpan roommate (a scene-stealing Jillian Bell).

The original 21 Jump Street proved that the odd pairing of Hill and Tatum was actually quite a brilliant one, and that Tatum had a strong gift of comic timing.  This is still true of the sequel, which gets by a lot on the charm and chemistry of the two leads.  Even if the material doesn't always work, we're not bored, because Hill and Tatum are giving it their all, and make us smile with their effort.  The movie also has a new secret weapon with returning cast member Ice Cube, who gets an expanded role this time, and is frankly hilarious.  This is the kind of movie that fools you into thinking it's going down the same path as the previous entry, and then surprises with some kind of new comic invention.  Oddly enough, the funniest moment in the film comes during the end credits.  I wouldn't dream of spoiling it, but I will say don't get out of your seat when the movie is over.

Unfortunately, the momentum of the laughs and the charm of the actors isn't enough to carry the film for the nearly two hours or so it runs.  Like a lot of recent comedies, it easily could have been trimmed to around 90 minutes with little sacrificed.  The movie would probably be faster and a bit funnier with some more editing.  Also, the moments where the pacing sags and the jokes don't quite hit as hard seem a bit longer than I remember them being in the first.  It's not enough to sink the film, but it's still noticeable.  Still, for the most part, the movie stays afloat, and I am recommending it.  If you were a fan of the last one, you're guaranteed to find something to like here.  After all, as the movie itself freely admits, it's more of the same.

I read an interview where Hill and Tatum stated this will likely be the last Jump Street movie, as they're not sure where the filmmakers could go.  I certainly agree, as the joke would be stretched pretty thin with more sequels.  Heck, it's amazing that the filmmakers got a successful movie out of this idea, let alone two of them.  I say quit while you're ahead.

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