Fantastic

Rating: 8/10 (28 June 2014)

The sequel to the 2012 film 21 Jump Street and based on the 1987 television series of the same name, 22 Jump Street is a 2014 American action comedy film produced by and starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, scripted by Michael Bacall and Oren Uziel, from a story by Hill and Bacall, and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. After successfully making their way through high school (twice), Officers Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are sent to college to find the dealers and supplier of a new drug named "WHYPHY".
On majority the film's opening act introduces the gloriously self-aware and assured tone of the film, with consistent subtle references to the film's predecessor and the consistency of film sequels generally never living up to the original. Despite this, the initial opening sequence of the film (which has the spectacle but lacks the emotional engagement) does feel oddly jarring in comparison to the rest of the film. Whilst the fast-paced slapstick-filled action sequence certainly establishes initial exhilaration, the ridiculously dangerous set piece stretches the authenticity of a world which priorly felt completely genuine.
The performances are uniformly outstanding. Hill and Tatum have remarkable on screen chemistry and regularly showcase their ability to appear both hilarious as a pair or individually. The writing challenges Hill and Tatum to continually switch between physical comedy and substantial character-driven passages – a challenge which both actors manage superbly. All returning cast members from the original are also as well balanced as the two protagonists. Ice Cube's character in particular is much more fleshed out than within the original, and his vast range of facial expressions provide some of the funniest moments of the film.
The film appears distinctive and memorable through the director's matchless visual style and inventive cinematography. In particular, the chase sequence in which the two protagonists find themselves racing in a buggy shaped like American-Football Helmet is shot very uniquely and demonstrates that the directors are just as intent on creating a visually striking film as well as making it funny and digestible for its audience.
22 Jump Street jokes that a film sequel typically can never live up to the expectations of the original. Ironically this is not the case with the film, as the film's amazing balance between comedy and emotional investment is a breath of fresh air and as such the film manages to even surpass the momentous expectations of the original.