Not the funniest film ever, but it was still enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (21 March 2012)

One thing I have to say before actually reviewing the film was how terrible the screening was at the cinema. It was possibly one of the worst cinema experiences of my life. After the 20 minutes of adverts and trailers the room darkened and the screen widened, the film was going to start. Then however, the cinema decided to play the trailer for 21 Jump Street (Dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller, 2012) just before the screening of 21 Jump Street. It completely ruined the film for me as the trailer contained many of the early gags of the film.
Since the hit that was Superbad (Dir. Greg Mottola) in 2007, the comedy genre has been redefined with dark and sick humour taking forefront within films, with slapstick having surprisingly made a comeback as well. 21 Jump Street does not falter from the new codes and conventions established by Superbad, probably because Jonah Hill had a lot of creative control in both movies.
The plot of this film is simple. Two kids that hated each other in school both join the police force and become best friends. Unfortunately they are such bad cops they get initiated into a revived program on 21 Jump Street, and a forced to go undercover as high school kids. This sounds like a very cheesy 80s plot that won't work. But it does. They updated it enough to connect to a 2012 audience, while at the same time keeping the cheesiness that defined 80s comedy.
Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street was pretty much Hill in every other film we have seen him in. I have to say, in some of is earlier movies I found his improvisation comedy refreshing and hilarious. Now, however, his jokes really haven't changed and his comedic style is becoming a little tedious, which is a shame. The real comedy star in this film was Channing Tatum, who actually fitted into this role with ease. I am hoping that his ability will improve with experience as he is a genuinely enjoyable screen presence.
Some of the scenes are hilarious in this film. Notably a scene where they are both attempting to get drugs out of their system I found particularly funny. However, like many comedies nowadays, there are also some very unfunny scenes. I do not enjoy slapstick jokes in the slightest and I just do not enjoy films that rely on that form of comedy. I understand it exists to allow people to not think while watching the film and just to laugh, but I feel like it is a dated and child-like comedic form, and I much prefer intertextual jokes and witty dialogue.
21 Jump Street is better than I thought it would be, but is not at the same comedic level as other hits like Superbad or The Hangover (Dir. Todd Philips, 2009). This film utilizes many forms of comedy, most probably to attract as bigger audience as possible; which is has. The acting is as it should be in a comedy film, apart from a cameo near the end which was mind-blowingly fantastic. 21 Jump Street has been a success as it has stuck to what people between the ages of 15-25 enjoy, which includes me. It was not the funniest film I have ever seen, but it was certainly not the least funny either.
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