22 Jump Street

So since neither Edward nor I could decide who would review this movie, you're all gonna get a weird (dis)joint(ed) review. So let's get to it.

Edward:

Having first seen 21 Jump Street when I was in high school, it was filled with plenty of jokes that I could relate to. Yet whilst it was funny enough, it always seemed like it was lacking direction in some areas, and I felt that much of the humour needed more of a setup. Now, as I’ve moved on to University, the boys are back and are going to college, with the (self-aware) sequel 22 Jump Street.

The new action packed installment picks up the pace a lot more, and overall I found the jokes quite a bit funnier than they were in the first. Whilst there’s still plenty of the “Suck my d*ck! No you suck my d*ck!!” sort of humor that dominated the original, it feels much more natural and flowing this time around, probably due to the vastly improved screenplay.

The film is also hilariously self-reflexive, taking satirical jabs at Hollywood’s obsession with sequels as we see the 23 Jump Street condominiums under construction, as well as the nature of the industry in general. There are also the absolutely hilarious credits - honestly one of the best parts of the movie - that I urge you to stay for, as they will certainly expel any worries you may have about the direction that this franchise is going in.

The action sequences are not over the top but definitely won’t disappoint, with plenty of eye-candy courtesy of explosions and slow-motion sequences. The acting is also spot on for this sort of comedy, with both Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum just as good as they were in the first and with a great supporting cast.

Verdict: Overall, 22 Jump Street stands up strong and is quite an improvement over it’s younger sibling.  If you enjoyed the first, you’ll be laughing all the way through this one!   

Jack:

Unlike 21 Jump Street, 22 knows it is a TV show spinoff (it also knows it a sequel but hopefully Edward's already written about that). We even get a previously on Jump Street recap, as if this is just another episode of a sitcom version of the original show.

This movie also has a bunch of references to other 80s TV shows and movies, such as The Golden Girls (which if you know the reference when it comes is hilarious) and Top Gun. These references are hilarious, but then again most of the film is funny. Schmidt and Jenko's bromance escalates to a homoerotic level that guarantees even more laughs.

This movie made me laugh so much that Edward must have regretted seeing it with me. The jokes were fast flowing and weren't too stale. However, the majority of the audience must have been a lot younger than us because I don't think they got a lot of the jokes, especially when the references are aimed at an older audience (like a superb Straight Outta Compton joke directed at Ice Cube).

Speaking of Cube, there is a lot more of him in this movie. And he is even funnier than he was in the first movie. His chemistry with both Tatum and Hill is fantastic and you tell they all had a really fun time making the movie. Especially Channing Tatum. He bounces around the screen like an actual teenager with a lot of glee.

The other standout performance comes from newcomer (to the franchise) Jillian Bell (Workaholics). If you are at all a fan of the aforementioned Workaholics, you'll especially like her character because she is just a slightly more unstable and violent version of Jillian on the show.

Verdict: A great sequel that is terribly self aware and just a pleasure to watch.