Rating of
3/4
Just as Good as the First
Looneymanthegreat - wrote on 06/13/14
Despite its own constant insistence to the contrary 22 Jump Street is not the “exact same thing” as its predecessor. Don’t get me wrong the two movies are very similar, but this second (and hopefully last) installment is able to separate itself out and become just as good, if not better, than the first.
The movie does hit a lot of the same plot points as the last one. It opens up with a montage that leads into a silly action sequence with some no-name bad guys who turn out to be important to the plot. There’s a comedy chase sequence near the end of the second act that tailspins our characters into the final parts of their respective arcs. With the exception of the very different 3rd act and an added subplot with Ice Cube, the story structure is almost exactly the same.
What changes is the jokes, and these jokes are possibly even funnier then the last movie’s. Most of them hit, and all of them try to. Tatum and Hill are both great comedic actors, and have actually improved in their delivery in the last bit, especially Tatum.
The 3rd act separates itself out from the rest of the movie in that it is designed specifically to subvert itself. In this movie the characters learn a different lesson at the end then they did in the last one, a lesson that explores the relationship the two have on an even deeper level.
The creators of 22 Jump Street understand that a sequel needs to delve deeper into what was portrayed in the first movie. It’s the same, but different; and in the best way possible. My problems with it are the same as my problems with the last one. It’s not a tightly put together movie, but I suppose that anyone would expect that coming in, and would be able to enjoy the movie anyway. God knows I was able to.
