Pop Culture Thoughts

Rating: 8/10 (1 December 2018)

An entirely worthy sequel to the 2012 surprise blockbuster, "22 Jump Street" manages to acknowledge and spoof the obvious financial motivation behind big-budget sequels while also being hilarious and entirely worthy in its own right. It's a delicate balancing act, but the entire production is on point: From the acting to the writing to the direction, this is a satire of sequels made by folks who have a clear reverence for the formula, and know exactly how to lovingly poke at it. Channing Tatum is just as charming and compelling here as he was in the original, while series newcomer Jillian Bell steals every scene she's in. Rob Riggle and Dave Franco's cameos are worth the price of admission on their own.