22 Jump Street

Release Date: Jun 13, 2014
Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min. 
Director: Christopher Miller, Phil Lord 
Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Peter Stormare, Nick Offerman.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it...or just do it again. That's the mentality, at least, in "22 Jump Street," the obligatory sequel to the big screen adaptation. Following the events of the first film, Jenko and Schmidt are back, this time infiltrating perps with a higher education. But if you've seen it before, you'll see it again, as "22" is not much different than being "21." Once again their friendship gets tested in more ways than none, with popularity and insecurities hanging feebly in the balance. And the plot, furthermore, is identically transcribed – same objective, same results in a slightly varied setting. That's not to say the sequel lacks in total creativity, as tongue-in-cheek humor still runs deftly through its veins. Nick Offerman returns effectively to reinstate the rules, acknowledging the obvious follow-up and bigger budget production. It's a clever gibe, if anything, to staving off a replica but not enough to even out the punchlines. Fortunately, Tatum and Hill are as solid as ever in their tag-team efforts of comic delivery. Their repartee is essential to manning this vehicle, which is further boosted by Ice Cube's rampant swearing. At any rate, though it may not be Lord and Miller's most original work to date, "22 Jump Street" gets kudos for somewhat staying consistent. If the hilarious end credits are a signifier of anything, there are limitless routes still left to explore.

Rating: 3 stars