Pop Culture Thoughts

Rating: 8/10 (1 December 2018)

An unexpected delight. "21 Jump Street" is far better than it has any right to be. While on the one hand it's clearly a cash grab, it has more in common with 1996's "Scream" than it does any reboots that have arrived in the last decade or so: Like "Scream," "21 Jump Street" knows exactly what it is and has fun with its concept, doing it so well that it becomes a legitimately thrilling, often-hilarious and surprisingly compelling blockbuster action-comedy. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are perfect in the lead roles, while the supporting cast (which includes Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, and Ellie Kemper) manages to play off both leads with regularity, adding a sense of cinematic camaraderie along the way.