Funniest flick of 2012 so far.

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2012)

About 15 minutes into this laugh-fest, Ice Cube's straight-talking Captain Dickson explains to young coppers Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill – two "Justin Beaver lookin' motherf...s" – that the Jump Street unit is a revived undercover police program from the eighties that has been resurrected because the men in suits can't think of anything original anymore. It's an unsubtle dig at Hollywood's fascination with remaking old T.V. shows, but it highlights the movie's tongue-in-cheek intent loud and clear: to take a cherished part of America's television history and make it bloody hilarious. It succeeds. Not only do the gags (a fantastic blend of self-referential humour, physical comedy and witty one-liners – all often vulgar and truly earning its MA15+ rating) come thick and fast, but they hit more often than not, and those that fall flat are quickly forgotten such is the rapid rate of jokes. Hill (who also co-wrote) and Tatum prove to be a fantastic mismatch too, with the latter especially impressing in his first fully-fledged comedy role. 21 Jump Street is the funniest flick of 2012 so far.