Film synopsis

In the sequel to 21 Jump Street, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are heading back to school looking for a new drug that is being distributed on campus. Yes, this sounds very similar to the first one.

My thoughts on the film

21 Jump Street was Channing Tatum’s coming out party in regards to his comedic chops. Those of you who saw She’s The Man, would know that already though, but then again, not many people saw that film, so not many people thought he could pull it off. Well, now everyone wants Mr. Tatum to star in comedies and now we have the sequel, 22 Jump Street. So, the question is, did the dynamic duo of Tatum and Hill kill it again in the sequel? The answer is, yes, yes they did. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum picked up right where they left off in 21 Jump Street. They played off each other, each had their own moments and their timing could not have been any better. 

 

As for the concept, well, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller took a huge risk. Most sequels fail to match or exceed expectations of the first film because studios/directors/writers feel they need to change it up so it doesn’t become the exact same film. Well, 22 Jump Street reminds you a couple of times at the beginning that it is going to be pretty much the same as the first film and you know what? It actually works. They poke fun at the similarities for almost the entire film and how cliché sequels usually are and they still go down that road. It’s certainly different in regards to how sequels usually turn out, but as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

Rating 4/5

You could say 22 Jump Street is exactly the same as 21 Jump Street because, well, it is. So, if you liked the first one, you’ll probably enjoy the sequel. There are no real surprise cameos like Johnny Depp in the first film, but certainly stay for the credits for some more laughs. 

22 Jump Street comes out on June 13th.

Chris Vales
I'm an Assistant Merchandise Manager at Best Buy’s head office, but if there’s one thing that I love to talk and write about, it’s movies and television. You can find more articles on my website www.ScreenThis.ca .