Review of 22 Jump Street (2014) by Chris O — 04 Sep 2016

Honestly just as smart, if not even funnier than the original.

Tatum and Hill are at it again, as their characters are sent off to college where they have to yet again uncover a viral drug operation. They still have a lot of searching to do in order to not only grow as a team, but as individuals.

If anything, these movies ride on the chemistry that is Tatum and Hill. These two are a power comedic duo, as they work so well together and their improvisation, comedic timing, and lovable natures make for a fun ride. These two are so self aware and they make you laugh in numerous ways. They killed me in the first film, and their chemistry only got better with this second film.

One thing the Jump Street franchise is, if anything, is completely self aware. In both movies, they have perfectly addressed the situation at hand and they've managed to make fun of themselves. But it's also one of those situations where even though they make fun at how cheesy and convenient some things are, the script is still genuinely smart, funny, and clearly has effort put into it. They make plenty of references, they follow a nice format, and they put enough twists on the film to distinguish it enough from its predecessor. A movie that knows what it is is the best kind of movie.

No set of movies have made me laugh harder in my life. I'm normally not a big fan of comedies, because I personally think it's one of the most overused and abused genres out there. Each genre has their cheap cash grab ideas, but for me, I see it most present in comedies. Both Jump Street movies have made me laugh so hard. And when I'm laughing just as hard in the sequel as I am in the original, that deserves a lot of praise. As a sequel, they could've easily bowed out and created a cash grab, but they didn't and I'm so grateful for that.

In the end, this is a sequel that many could argue improves upon the original. Although I honestly liked it more, it does have a few more drags than the original had, which is why I'm giving it half a star less. But in my personal preference, this is a sequel that's better than the original.