22 Jump Street

Following the surprise hit of 21 Jump Street, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum return to showcase their electric and captivating chemistry as the undercover cop duo Schmidt and Jenko. Not often do sequels live up to their predecessor but 22 Jump Street is one of those rare gems, filled with even more laughs than the first in the series.

The brilliance of 22 Jump Street is its self-awareness; it recognises the failures of sequels – particularly those that are green lighted due to the surprise hit of the first film – and runs with it. Screenwriter Michael Bacall recognised where Hangover 2, and its ilk, failed and made it 22 Jump Street’s strength, embracing the shtick and stereotypes of the sequel, inverting them to become the biggest jokes.

Backed up by Ice Cube, who shines as Schmidt’s and Jenko’s disgruntled Captain, the duo attempt to bring down the new big drug WHYPHY. Told to “do exactly the same as last time” repeatedly, Schmidt and Jenko go undercover as college students to try and uncover the dealer. This, of course, leads to things going horribly wrong.

Filled with the exact charm that made its predecessor a success, 22 Jump Street is quite honestly the comedy of 2014, a film that is a pleasure to watch again and again.

Hayley Perry