Overall Grade: (B+)
This meta-movie was as dumb as it intended to be and regardless of how stupid, repetitive and cliche the moments are, the laughs are still delivered.
Synopsis
Like many times said in the film, this one is about the same thing, literally… the exact same. The only difference being instead of high school this time they’re enrolling in college.
My Thoughts
First off; if you prefer the intelligently witty comedy of say “The Grand Budapest Hotel” as apposed to the drug infused antics of “Harold & Kumar” then you may not get the most enjoyment out of this sequel that thrives on forced, dumb, raunchy humor to evoke cheap laughs. If you enjoyed the first installment of this reboot then the second will follow, if you did not like the first film then you will most likely not like this one as well.
Creativity is not heavy handed in this re-teaming of Hill/Tatum/Cube as they take another round at catching some drug dealers. The script repeatedly makes fun of itself on various levels and sure the target demographic on this one may cap out in the early thirties, but for a thoughtless night with a film this one will not disappoint. There is all the comedy and action you could expect and in regards to the level of ‘raunch’ the jokes take on, there is no limit.
The laughs are cheap and the jokes are often extremely forced but for the most part they result in some brainless humor. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum both deliver fun performances and their continued chemistry is a compliment to the story-line. With their ‘bromance’ at all-time highs, the laughs and crazy scenarios are plentiful and the (same) plot delivers new laughs out of pretty much the (same) jokes.
Ice Cube is fun in this one and his continued annoyance with Jonah Hill’s character make for some of the funniest moments in the film. His role was expanded and it made for a solid trio to keep the pace of the film going. Also the addition of Amber Stevens as Cube’s daughter made a great set-up for the most comedic subplot in the entire jumbled story-line. The addition of Peter Stormare as the drug dealer was a nice addition as he conveys his trademark bad guy persona.
Sure the jokes seem elementary and yes they are at times absurd and most often ridiculous. But through the barrage of one-liners and forced moments there is some cleverly comedic dialogue. The laughs keep the overly long run-time going as well as good doses of action to make for an overall fun adventure. Their is also a nice continuation of the relationship between the two characters that provide as a greatly laughable subplot.
If you seen and liked the first one then you know what to expect and will not be disappointed. The returning cast clearly embrace and enjoyed their roles and it shows onscreen for a fun, turn-your-brain-off night with an action-comedy. Many will say “22 Jump Street” is garbage with no insight taken into its creation and while that statement may be correct on some levels, I still challenge anyone to sit through this entertainingly absurd story without mustering at least a few chuckles.