A Worthy Sequel to the 1st Surprise Comedy Hit

Rating: 8/10 (7 July 2015)

I'll keep this simple from the start: if you enjoyed 21 JUMP STREET (the 2012 movie, not the TV show it was based on), then there's a good chance you'll find enough to enjoy about 22 JUMP STREET to make a viewing worth your while. There isn't a whole lot different between the two movies. The meta-humor is refocused on the fact that this is a sequel and the "bromance" has evolved to the next level but, otherwise, these movies are nearly the same beats. Some would find problems with this (because it's not the most creative way to handle a sequel) and normally I would agree but what can I say? I bought into it. I had fun. At the end of 21 JUMP STREET, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) promised the next case would send Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) to college. After a failed undercover case to remind us that these two aren't ready for real-world criminal justice, the pair are dropped into college to engage in literally the same premise as the first film. The two of them resume of their previous identities as the McQuaid brothers and are enrolled in college to locate the dealers and find the suppliers of the campus' latest drug craze, WhyPhy. The question is: having never had the chance to experience college for themselves, can Jenko and Schmidt maintain their cover and solve the case without going too deep and losing themselves in a world of fraternities and parties?
I'm finding it hard to comment on 22 JUMP STREET without just copying/pasting everything I thought about the first movie. It's one of the main gags scattered throughout the film (the concept of essentially doing the same thing all over again to placate the audience) but, whereas I thought the movie would deviate a bit from the normal formula, it instead follows right along with what it promised. A lot of the story beats are pretty much identical to Jenko and Schmidt's adventure in high school with a few updates. The partners find themselves at odds (again) and drawn to different cliques of school life (again). This time, it's a little easier to accept as Jenko blends into the jock crowd as a star football player and Schmidt finds acceptance in the liberal arts crowd. The bromance between the two reaches new levels as the movie brings them to the point where they contemplate whether they're right for each other. Should they "break up"? Cue the drama. Still, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are a talented duo and they know how to handle it, bringing out the inherent funny while Tatum and Hill's natural buddy chemistry makes it all work perfectly. There's no denying that these two are a perfect team and Tatum continues to display comedic chops he doesn't often get to utilize. As basic as the story is, it's these two that continue to make the Jump Street movies so much fun to watch. Two movies in, and I'm not tired of them yet.
Whereas most of the movie recycles heavily from the first film, it doesn't forget to inject some new blood into the movie. Ice Cube's role as Captain Dickson, head of the Jump Street department, is expanded and I love it. Peter Stormare has a minor role as a black market dealer known as "the Ghost" and doesn't get much to do but the behind- the-scenes footage shows how much fun he was having fun on set. The movie's breakout performance comes from Jillian Bell as Mercedes, the roommate to Schmidt's new "girlfriend". Bell has a talent for improv comedy that allows her to not only keep pace with Hill in their scenes together but even surpass him for most of them. She's great and I wouldn't mind seeing more of her. As good as Bell is, the movie is lacking a villain as fun as Rob Riggle from 21 JUMP STREET as Mr. Walters. The best part of this sequel is a scene where Jenko and Schmidt go to prison for a Hannibal Lector homage where they interview Mr. Walters (now missing his manhood and embracing his newwomanhood) for clues on where to find their culprit. Despite its flaws, 22 JUMP STREET is a worthwhile sequel to the original surprise comedy hit. It maintains the same level of fun, the gags are just as unrelenting, and most of the jokes land. I reiterate: if you enjoyed the first 21 JUMP STREET (as I did), then this movie is a no-brainer and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.