Wick's Review

Summary - Really Great 4.5

“Sequels Suck” doesn’t seem operative given how terrific 22 Jump Street is. This one literally jumps off from where its great origin movie ended. Ignore it? Hell, no. #22JumpSt cheekily imagines itself the next episode of the Jump Street series. Credit that to directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, the geniuses who made the comically sublime Lego Movie after directing 21 Jump Street. This ain’t Lego, but it ain’t too far.

Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum are the 21st Century Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin. Or would that be Martin & Lewis? Hill – the nebbish – does the humor of the uncomfortable. Tatum – the stud – does the humor of the dim. Both are funny, sometimes very funny. Tatum is hot the whole time too, a fact that meant little to me but much to the copious coeds surrounding me. Turns out girls are drawn to see Channing Tatum topless.

Blacks and gays are the two most protected Identity Groups that come in for ribbing, but the entire movie trades in stereotypes. No wonder Jonah Hill couldn’t fully turn it off when he hit the trendy streets of L.A.

Much of the movie is very meta, talking about the budget for Jump Street like it’s a police-thing, when actually it’s a movie-thing: how much the sequel is budgeted for, what the expectations are, how the plot must roll out, etc., etc. It’s damn near the equivalent of breaking the fourth wall. Lord & Miller, bravo!

Huge stars, a breakout new name & super-smarts make #22JumpSt a really great movie, a tick above 21.

Acting - Great 4.0

Hill & Tatum are the Martin & Lewis of the 21st Century: Schmidt & Jenko, classic silver screen buddies.

Jonah Hill plays Schmidt, Mama’s Boy grown into a man’s body, an endomorphic body that he doesn’t exercise much, but a man’s body nonetheless. Hill’s deeply metrosexual nebbish is tuned to a fine whine in 22 Jump Street. It’s perhaps his most consistent comedic performance.

Channing Tatum plays Jenko, coolest guy in the class, super athlete, amiable, dances a little bit. Tatum’s hilarious self-deprecation has honed an attractive cinematic tool. He’s become a star both girls & guys love.

Jillian Bell vaults off screen as a poor little rich girl with major psychosexual issues. Her rock ’em sock ’em encounter with Jonah Hill is an instant comedy classic. Jillian Bell possesses a moviestar name, delivers a moviestar performance and deserves to be a moviestar in her own right.

Amber Stevens jumps off screen as Maya, the lovely art major Jonah Hill meets on campus one dejected night. Stevens projects a fresh sexiness and solid core at the same time. Stevens? She wouldn’t be legendary DJ Shadoe Stevens’ daughter would she? She would.

• Ice Cube returns as the aptly named Captain Dickson, with a memorable tantrum this go round.
• Peter Stormare underwhelms as a kingpin.
• Wyatt Russell is amiably acceptable as Tatum’s BroFriend, a perfect role for Kurt Russell’s son.
• The Lucas Brothers are terrific as twins Keith & Kenny Yang. These guys need the right project, but they are smart and funny.
• Nick Offerman delivers lines of sarcasm with more perfect certitude than any supporting actor working today. The guy always delivers.
• Caroline Aaron & Joe Chrest cameo as Jonah Hill’s parents
• Eddie J. Fernandez as Scarface who looks like the Wolverine
• Richard Grieco appears in a promo for Booker, his cop series that competed with Johnny Depp’s 21 Jump Street on late 80s TV.
• Marc Evan Jackson empathizes deeply as a Professor/Therapist
• Dave Franco & Rob Riggle return, now in the Big House, with Riggle’s transgender con having taken possession of Franco’s broken con.

Film - Really Great 4.5

Two spectacularly irresponsible dudes get gifted the power of TV Cops, except it’s all taken to the next level. Movie Cop level: bigger budgets, better tricks.

Just as 21JumpSt was mostly a High School Comedy, #22JumpSt is mostly a College Comedy. Twenty minutes in and they’re on campus, where they satire hookup culture and most every other stereotype of collegiate living, reveling in being ultra referential, pop culture-wise.

Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel & Rodney Rothman are credited with the screenplay, Michael Bacall & Jonah Hill the story, and of course, the legendary Stephen J. Cannell & Patrick Hasburgh for the television series. Thus Jonah Hill conceived and stars in this spectacular sequel. That’s Mr. Hollywood stuff.

Random Greatness

• Multiple sequential endings, brilliant
• Football tryouts channeled Rudy
• Benjamin Hill Library – that’s Benny Hill to you and me.

Edge - Sordid 2.8

Titillating, Fierce & Nasty average out to a high Sordid, 2.8 on the Edginess Scale.

Reality - Surreal 2.5

Solidly Surreal

Anybody notice that Spring Break occurs during Football Season? Psych!

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