Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are back to wreak havoc, in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s “22 Jump Street”.

"22 Jump Street" (15)
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Peter Stormare, Ice Cube, Amber Stevens and Nick Offerman. 
Rated: 15 for containing frequent strong language, strong sex references and violence.
Running time: 112 minutes.
Out now in UK cinemas. 

After cracking the case of a lifetime, officers Scmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are back on the streets to investigate a villainous drug smuggler, known only as Ghost (Stormare). The investigation however, proves to be unsuccessful and as their Deputy Chief Hardy (Offerman) puts it ever so bluntly, "just go back and do the same s**t you did last time. Then everyone's happy", the pair soon act upon the chief's stern warning, and return to undercover assignments. This time the pair are placed amongst a university, in order to stop a new drug named "WhyPhy" (it's pronounced like Wi-Fi), from going viral. 

The film which "Bad Boys 2"
wishes it was...Jonah Hill
and Channing Tatum star in
a still from"22 Jump Street."

It's worth remembering that "21 Jump Street" was a film that wasn't expected to perform well in terms of critical and commercial success, however the film exceeded all expectations, proving to become a sure-fire hit, with a relatively small budget of $42 million. Sequels are normally bigger in terms of budget, cast and plot and this is no exception with "22 Jump Street", which had a budget of $70 million, proving that with every sequel, the budget increases dramatically, which is also evident in James Bobin's "Muppets Most Wanted", released earlier this year. 

In spite of budget increases, sequels can become however too ambitious for their own good. But thankfully, this isn't the case with "22 Jump Street". Instead this is a sequel which continues to deliver quirky and off-beat sensibilities like its predecessor, which is mainly due to the inspired writing of Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman, a trio of screenwriters, who are ambitious in their comedic style. The film's style and script is often reminiscent of "Scott Pilgrim V.s The World", (a film which Bacall also helped write, alongside Edgar Wright), which proves the comedic style is one that works extremely well on screen. 

The direction is also well organised by the duo Lord and Miller, a pair of directors who met in Dartmouth College and proceeded to direct films such as 2009's "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs", "21 Jump Street" and "The Lego Movie, all of which opened to critical acclaim. Having shown their ability for mixing comedy and riotous action, the two use their creative input to once again create a bizarre comedy, which is as zany as the first. 

Perhaps cinema's funniest comic duo?
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star in
a still from "22 Jump Street". 

If not the funniest script this year, “22 Jump Street” is completed in its excellence by the pairing of Hill and Tatum. The two actors, possibly providing the most homo erotic bromance ever seen on screen, undeniably contributing exceptional comic performances, confirming their ability to act in an all manner of roles; Hill was electrifying in "The Wolf Of Wall Street" and Tatum has reportedly provided a career best performance, in Bennett Miller's "Foxcatcher".  

Verdict

Quite possibly the funniest film of the year so far; Lord and Miller's sequel is pure delight, with whip-smart comedy and a bone-achingly funny end credits sequence. "23 Jump Street"? Yes please. 

8.5 Stars out of 10

Written by Scott Gentry

Film Rating Key

1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.

3-4 stars out of ten = Average.

5-6 stars out of ten = Good.

7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.

9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.