21 Jump Street (2012) User Reviews

I have to be honest, I never expected to like this movie, but boy was it good.

[lagudafuad · 7/10 · 25 March 2012]

Buddy cop movies have been losing their waves. The thing is that all the buddy cop movies after Rush Hour 1 have been either too dull to comprehend or just mildly interesting and could just pass as a movie you've seen just to mark the register that you've seen it.

Based on a TV series of the same name which aired on Fox Network between 1987 and 1991, the series focuses on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools, colleges, and other teenage venues. The 2012 movie adaptation also had the former cast of the series; Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise play a minor role.

Written by Jonah Hill who also starred in it, 21 is a movie that suits a cinema viewing with a box of popcorn at your side. Hill's performance was on a mild okay side, but the main cheese in the movie was Channing Tatum, who transcended from a jock to a nerd and still maintained his persona. I guess the most fun I had was when I saw Ice – Cube talking to the duo.

The movie was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). The directors and writers made sure you didn't have to go see the original to get the full taste of 21, as the film made do of the current pop culture in our time and how ironic and dumb it looks to make a fun movie and enough juice left to make another.

21 makes fun of everything in its path, even down to drugs, and how we kept expecting things to blow up and they just don't. The jokes keeps coming in from every corner making you laugh although.

The high moments in the movie was whenever the duo were together, the low moment was when they were apart.

The plot had the duo Hill and Tatum as Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko (respectively), get deployed as undercover cops to a high school to bust a drug ring, and everything you'd expect to happen, doesn't. That's the fun of the movie.

All in all, why are you wasting time reading this go watch it.

Hit the heights

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 19 September 2013]

21 Jump Street was a late 1980s/early 90s action based cop show featuring Johnny Depp. A department of youthful looking cops who can mingle amongst young people.

The film version goes for laughs with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill playing mismatched buddies who get recruited by the newly constituted Jump Street because of their youthful looks and go undercover in High School to break a synthetic drugs gang.

On paper the film does not sound much, an old forgotten TV series being revived, starring two actors who outside of the USA would not cause much of a stir, Tatum being widely regarded as Mr Wooden.

However the synthetic drug must have been put in these guys coffee as both Hill and Tatum give terrific performances.

Tatum shows a talent for light comedy and has signs of a personality which have up to now remained hidden.

The script is consistently funny and makes you laugh, the direction is very much spot on. The film does not outstay its welcome and even better, they bag star cameos from an original 21 Jump Street member or two.

Fun In High School

[billygoat1071 · 8/10 · 4 May 2012]

The TV series of 21 Jump Street is always remembered as one of Johnny Depp's early performances. The concept is a bit interesting. At first glance, this movie looks like it's just another mediocre raucous comedy, but it turns out to be a clever one. It's quite a surprise. It stays loyal to its roots except it added some raunchiness and slapstick humor to the story. It's a new kind of 21 Jump Street that is much more fun.

I'm not saying it's better than the TV series though. Both are pretty interesting but this one is definitely aiming as a comedy. The film is just crazy stuff with crazy characters living in an absurd setting. The original premise remains but with some buddy comedy elements, and raunchy and slapstick humor. Surprisingly, it works better to the plot. The humor is clever and quite hilarious. These jokes are greatly executed by the stars. Jonah Hill is always a brilliant comedian. Channing Tatum finally plays a none bland character. His chemistry with Hill shines to the film. While the others, Ice Cube hams it up a little but he can provide some laughs. Rob Riggle is just being Rob Riggle. Dave Franco's role here kind of reminds me of his role in Fright Night but he's pretty good with it.

The direction is snappy and stylish. The action is fun but I don't think anybody cares about that. The main point of this film is High School and the relationship between Schmidt and Jenko. It shows how the new high school turned their lives upside down. They can't stop playing with their antics on their mission. There is a drama between them. Most of it played as a joke but the heart is always there.

All turns out to be pretty well in this film even with all the changes and the absurdity. It's smart, sweet, hilarious, and fun. The fans of the TV series may still get a surprise while they miss the none mad Captain Jenko and the charms of the show. This film is too crazy and absurd but in a clever way. I haven't enjoyed a comedy like this in a while. 21 Jump Street is undeniably fun and it's probably one of the best comedies of the year.

fun movie

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 September 2013]

Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are a couple of underperforming cops. Their Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) sends them back to high school to go undercover as students to crack a drug ring.

This is an re-imagining of the 80s TV show. Unlike many others who try to remake 80s show, this one is actually funny, and joyous. They have great chemistry, and are hilarious together. Surprisingly, Channing Tatum does have some comedic chops. His timing is quite good. Jonah Hill is a great partner. Ice Cube does an intimidating Captain without losing likability. In fact, I think everybody is having a good fun time, and I think it shows.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE AN ATTORNEY

[nogodnomasters · 10/10 · 19 July 2018]

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum rule in this politically incorrect comedy that had me laughing out loud. Jonah Hill shouting at a suspect running away, "I'm going to shoot you if you don't slow down." They go undercover to find the drug dealers at a high school. Having been out of high school for 7 years they find it hard to adopt to 2012. Ice Cube was great as the stereotypical angry black police captain who tells people to embrace their stereotypes. Jake M. Johnson is the principle. His first words are "I am just one more gay black kid being punched in the face from a nervous break down." The drama teacher tells his students, "I remember being in upstate New York doing cocaine with Willie Nelson's horse..."

The great one liners are seemingly endless. Jonah Hill tries out for the role of Peter Pan while Channing's chemistry teacher comes on to him. The guys forgot who they were and end up with each other identities. Jonah Hill is in drama and a "track star" while meat head Tatum is in the AP classes. The cops are bumbling in their roles but manage to get the job done. There are some social issues mentioned in the movie in a comedic fashion. One is the difference on how people view a black kid who dies from drugs as from a white kid. Another is the commercialization of education. Highly recommended comedy.

Frequent F-bombs, sexual humor, no nudity

yeah, I was just like you

[witster18 · 7/10 · 22 March 2012]

I too expected this to stink. Another buddy cop movie, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, based on a lousy 80's television show - doesn't sound all that appealing.

Hill's "The Sitter", completely mediocre, and it's been quite a while since Superbads success.

Channing Tatum showed his comedic timing during his appearance on SNL. I was still hesitant.

But, I stand corrected.

This is the funniest movie since last years' Bridesmaids.

The key here is the fantastic script. The story isn't rocket-science, and we knew it wouldn't be, but the comedic timing of the leads is spot-on, and they were given a great script to work with.

I found myself laughing multiple times throughout. My spouse concurred. One late, unnecessary gross-out moment brought it down a notch. The film hadn't used any of those gimmicks and didn't need to in the end. It just seemed a bit out of place and distasteful.

The leads did a great job here. Their characters worked exactly how they should in a buddy-cop flick like this. They bounced off each other for an hour and a half, and the result will surely be one of the best comedies of the year, and an outside shot for my 2012 top-25(back-end)if it can hold-on.

Watch out for a sneaky cameo(spoiled by the cast list if you look).

Nice surprise.

Deserves it's ranking here.

Stuck between 7-8, but going with 76/100, so I'm rounding to 8.

You'll enjoy this if you liked:The Other Guys, Starsky and Hutch, If Looks Could Kill, or Blue Streak - even though I think this is actually a clear notch above all of those films.

Touche...

[CraigLindholmMedia · 9/10 · 16 March 2012]

Precursor: I just moved back into town two days ago and had made plans to see one of my old friends tonight. I did not want to see this movie, and wouldn't have under any other circumstances but my friend really wanted to and the tickets were free so I went.

Review itself: This is of no disrespect to Jonah Hill, his fashion of humor or his fans at all, but I, personally have grown tired of what seems to now be a plethora of wanna be Hangover and Superbad's. (The success of Project X seriously worries me...). Anyways, having that mind set approaching tonight and considering the fact I didn't laugh once during the 21 JS trailer, green or red band... I really wasn't expecting all that much out of the experience aside from leaving the house and catching up with a buddy.

But damn.

I honestly thought this movie was great. Yes, there were parts I wasn't fond of... a bit of the dialogue seemed to me to be vulgar strictly for the sake of being vulgar... there was the usual expected Jonah Hill trademarked myriad of penis jokes and one extremely unnecessary shock gag but the majority of the movie was, to me, surprisingly satirical/smart/relevant in today's society, self-aware, and situationally hilarious. Even the dumbest and most profane of this movie's jokes and clichés seemed to know that they were such and were given the proper comedic build up/context to at least warrant a chuckle. This movie had some surprisingly clever dialogue throughout and some of the best supporting characters I've seen in recent comedies (Ice Cube, The Principal, etc..) What really stood out to me though was the editing. 21 Jump Street features some of the most awkwardly humorous camera shot transitions, scene changes and music integration. Despite it's faults, I found this to be a damn hard movie to hate, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun weekend movie.

All in all... genuine, clever, vulgar yet respectable comedy with some heart.

IMO a very good career move for both Hill and Tatum.

Stoked for the sequel.

21 Jump Street - Laughing along with you

[scottemery · 7/10 · 2 May 2012]

This is basically a film version of an 80's TV series that kick started Johnny Depp's career. It's about two rubbish cops (Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum) going into a police program to pretend to be in high school so to infiltrate a drugs ring that's killed a kid in the school.

NOW STOP, no not hammertime but don't worry. I know that sounds like a very rubbish stupid comedy film but very early on makes you realise it knows its stupid when the guy in charge of the operation explains something about the program to the two cops, I quote "…a revived undercover program from the '80s, revamped for modern times; the people who make these things up are old and out of ideas, so they try updating (stuff) like this and hope we don't notice". See now that line shows you that it realises its no top notch film and that it is just in it for the ride with a few laughs.

First and foremost yes it is funny, which is a relief as about 3/4 of films that label themselves "comedy" really just arn't. It has some pretty silly gags sometimes but these are outweighed by the tonnes of good jokes and are really insignificant in comparison to 1 or 2 of the fantastic lines in the film. The film isn't too plot heavy which is good as it adds realism to the pair and allows them to branch out to allow some story with the side characters, which stops too many sight gags and fart jokes being used as filler.

Looking at Channing Tatum's IMDb page (I don't think I've seen many of his films) he seems to be in mainly rom-coms and what are essentially girly movies. In this though he is really quite good, he doesn't overplay his character which may be due to him coming from a more straight up film background. The way he delivers his lines isn't cheesy and he gives his character a realistic portrayal while still being hilarious at times. Jonah Hill is Jonah Hill which doesn't need any more on it and the side characters and pretty funny with a good cameo right at the end.

It has that problem all Hollywood comedy's have of having a sad bit 3/4 the way through the film, which by the way one of my favourite comedies - pineapple express - does not, but I can't really bring it down too much for as it's probably forced to include it by the company behind the film. It's also a touch long but neither of these things take away from what is a good self-mickey-taking comedy film.

7/10. Good laughs from some of the leaders of the current generation of comedy

Best Comedy so far of 2012

[JeanRalphio · 9/10 · 18 March 2012]

So if you like Jonah Hill and comedies with really great cameo appearances, I think you would definitely like this film.

I must admit I expected this to be at the same standard as maybe The Change-Up or The Hangover Part II which weren't terrible movies, but they weren't the funniest movies I have seen either. This movie is more on par with The Hangover (the first installment), Superbad and Anchorman.

The chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is brilliant, and it's nice to see Tatum in something other than his standard rom-com or "rom" setting. I was already laughing from the first scene, which is generally hard to do and the humour was the correct balance of wit and slapstick. There were actually a lot more clever jokes than I expected and there were some scenes were I couldn't even control my laughter in a full cinema.

All in all, I'm not saying this movie is for everyone but the way I would tell you to see it is if you like Jonah Hill's ridiculous dialogue with sometimes unnecessary swears and you have no expectations of it being anything like the original TV show, I would definitely recommend this one! Best comedy film I've seen at the cinema in 2012.

School. Guns. Cameos. Exploding chickens.

[Jonathon_Natsis · 6/10 · 25 March 2012]

You would not believe it even if you saw it with your own eyes. A sober Irishman? A thin Greek? A game-sealing shot by Lebron in the fourth? Even rarer…it's a half-decent reboot! A reimagining of the more serious 1980s young adult crime drama of the same name, 21 Jump Street lends a comedic touch to the otherwise dreary world of underground drug trafficking. Starring an odd couple with a difference in Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, the film mostly follows the standard buddy-cop formula but deviates enough to both keep your interest and produce a handful of laughs.

Seven years ago, two kids on opposite ends of the social spectrum graduated from high school. The popular Jenko (actor's name omitted for obviousness) and overweight, nerdy Schmidt (same here) both enrol in the local police force and form a friendship, helping each other pass the course. Now fully-fledged police officers, the clueless duo are kicked out of the force and into a top-secret program, where younger-looking officers are again enrolled in high school in order to bring down a syndicated drug ring.

By a long margin, the film's best quality is its willingness to make fun of itself. Granted, the backbone of the plot is predictable enough, but gag-wise, this movie has its moments. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) take pleasure in playing off cemented audience expectations (that is, a few laughs, a gunfight or two and a couple of explosions) before even the first trailer has begun, and subsequently subverting these conventions wherever they see fit.

Essentially, they refuse to play by the rules, which can be comedy gold when used correctly. A rogue motorbike spitting sparks across the freeway collides with an oil tanker and nothing happens. That same bike runs into a pickup truck carrying a load of chickens and a deafening explosion ensues. The irony of having a man who once made a generous living badmouthing authority play a typically surly, by-the-book cop isn't lost on most, and it is Ice Cube's sheer assertion of himself as a stereotype that makes the role work. The cameos by a couple of members of the original series are good fun too.

Speaking of making roles work, Hill reverts back to his Superbad roots with his performance, but it is Tatum who is surprisingly funny as the dim-witted do-gooder Jenko. Just when it looks like he has become irreversibly typecast as either an action hero or soppy teen idol, he comes up big in a comedy, impressing with his stone-faced delivery and interplay with his far more comedically experienced co-star. While under the influence in a certain scene, Tatum utters the film's funniest one-liner, and a quote sure to be repeated in many a school and university from now on.

That said, it is the physical aspect of the comedy that outdoes the script here, and while that is no criticism of the stunt work or set pieces, a lack of somewhat more layered humour leaves the film feeling hollow; failing to live up to its full potential. The opening act is particularly burdensome. Apart from a couple of laughs during the attempted arrest of some bikers in a public park, the film proceeds to drag its feet, vainly looking for ways to intertwine jokes with storytelling until the pair are shipped off to Jump Street.

Other parts of the film still feel done to death, again a mark against the film's reluctance to go all-out in an effort to produce something truly original. It could have done without the love interest for the loser, made all the more disconcerting as it is a love between a high schooler and a grown man. Although Schmidt and Jenko start off as friends, their falling out/moment of clarity/reconciliation can be seen coming a mile away, occurring too late in the film and needlessly slowing down the second half. Yet, if you're expecting an utter disaster, like this particular viewer was, you might just leave surprised.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on [e-mail] and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*

Funniest Movie I've Seen In a While

[nicecardigan · 10/10 · 16 February 2012]

I have never seen the original 21 Jump Street series so I can't compare. I had only watched the trailer and thought it looked alright, but wasn't planning on paying to see it. I received free advance screening passes to see it last night and I am so glad! It is honestly the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. I usually don't laugh out loud but this movie had me (and the rest of the audience) laughing at least every ten seconds.

Who knew Channing Tatum could be so funny? He really steals the show half the movie with his great comedic timing. The back-and-forth that he and Jonah Hill have is so refreshing. They have clear comedic chemistry and play off of each other very well. The dialogue is fresh and hilarious. Another standout actor was Dave Franco. I am a big fan of him and have always found him funny, and he really shines in this movie. Overall, every actor played off the next very well. It's clear they had a great time making this movie.

I can't recommend this enough. If you want a good laugh, then SEE THIS. It has clever, outrageous comedy and some great acting. There was a great cameo surprise towards the end that had the entire theater gasping and laughing. This is one of the few movie experiences I've had where the entire audience enjoyed themselves and laughed out loud, even clapped at some parts. Go see it, you will not regret it!

Nice Comedic Remake of Original

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 20 November 2014]

21 Jumpstreet is rehashed as a comedy and it worked!? Go figure. There are not many remakes that are good in any respect, so for 21 Jumpstreet to be done again and done as a comedy no less was a real win.

This movie had excellent writers. Jonah Hill is a funny guy anyway so I expected a reasonable performance from him but there were good performances all around. I think the movie did well to poke fun at itself along the way, it provided some genuinely funny moments.

The movie did fall into predictability towards the end. More accurately, the movie fell into a cliché ending. It seemed that the writers may have run out of steam. Even with that, the movie was funny enough and Ice Cube didn't wreck it with his terrible acting.

Gets Old Fast (spoilers)

[zzoaozz · 2/10 · 26 March 2012]

This movie seems to be confused as to whether it was supposed to be an action movie or a comedy and fails to achieve either. It isn't really very funny at all and it drags too much to be exciting. It has other problems as well.

The jokes try to hard to be hip and end up being just plays on stereotypes. For example, in a misguided attempt to look cool one of the characters punches a guy for being nerdy. The victim mistakenly believes he was punched because he is black and gay which makes the cop look uncool. In another example, throughout the movie the head of the jump street program acts like a stereotypical bad tempered black cop, even calling himself that. It is vaguely amusing the first time, but the next umpteen times it gets a little lame as do the frequent jokes about the guys not looking like teenagers. The visual and verbal humor are like this through the whole movie.

The movie portrays alcohol and drug use as a funny joke. It shows scenes of the cops high on the supposedly deadly drug they are supposed to be in high school stopping. It shows them buying booze for an underage party and it's supposed to be funny because they have to use false IDs. It shows them stealing marijuana from the evidence lockup to share with the kids. I know it's a comedy not a message movie, but this is just not funny. To top it off, they don't even get reprimanded for any of the illegal things they do from giving drugs to minor to engaging in a high speed chase on a freeway, to reckless discharge of firearms, to taking further police actions when technically fired.

The action is boring. The interminably long scenes of bicycle, car, and limousine chases do not even begin to liven up this bomb. They are not interesting.

The juvenile behavior the two leads exhibit ruins any dramatic elements of the movie. They don't act like two adults pretending to be kids, they act more like two kids pretending to be cops.

I used to watch the 21 Jump Street series and it was a serious drama about serious issues like homosexual bullying, drugs, suicide, and peer pressure. It may have been a little soap operish at times, but it was dramatic and interesting. I think it deserved more respect than this.

A Lot More Entertaining Than I Expected, Very Laugh Out Loud Funny

[cadillac20 · 7/10 · 1 March 2012]

I don't know if you'd say I was lucky enough, but I did get the chance to see this tonight in a special screening. It's the kind of movie I looked at while watching the trailers and asked 'Why?'. And seeing it at the screening for free is probably the only way I would go. But, to my surprise, the movie is pretty damn funny. Certainly it's a bit inexplicable in many areas. But if you forget a lot of the logic leaps, the situations are funny. The attempt to be different and poke fun at clichés is pretty obvious, but none the less there are many funny moments.

As I said, there are issues with the logic of the film. Right off the bat we meet our two main characters, polar opposites in high school, Channing Tatum's character being the popular jock who makes fun of Jonah Hill's character, the dork. They're fairly clichéd as far as HS stereotypes go, but this actually feeds into the film later when we see those clichés destroyed by today's often indescribable cliques. Somehow, both of these guys end up as cops, something that initially seemed puzzling to me, since neither of them seem like they would want to be cops. But really, it's just an excuse to get on with the jokes, so it's easily overlooked. Soon, our fumbling duo is sent into high school as undercover cops to take down a new drug being passed around. Really, this story is nothing more than an excuse to make jokes about clichéd situations, but surprisingly the jokes are pretty funny. Clichés are definitely broken. The cool kids at school aren't jocks, but socially conscious teens who care about the environment. In fact, the entire social spectrum is flipped upside down.

There are some fairly funny moments. Highlights include the visions induced by a high Jonah Hill and a highway chase in which nothing goes as expected. Sadly, the film isn't particularly memorable. It's funny enough, and the humor is well written, but the actors are what you'd expect them to be. Jonah Hill is Jonah Hill here, and Channing Tatum, while surprisingly funny, is still Channing Tatum. My favorite is actually Ice Cube, who appears as the Lt. in charge of the Jump Street operation. He's funny as the angry chief, and they do in fact call this out, though it seems a bit forced. None the less, it's been a while since Ice Cube made an appearance, and he's pretty funny here. The rest of the cast is decent, though none really as memorable as Cube, or even Hill and Tatum for that matter.

The writing is mostly to blame here. The story is weak, weak enough to bring a lot of the rest of the film down. The film requires a huge suspension of disbelief and you can't help but wonder if everyone in the film is an idiot for overlooking so many numerous coincidences. They sure do talk about how Tatum looks too old for high school, and yet not one person thinks that maybe he IS too old for high school? Other leaps in logic make you wonder how stupid the film can get, but again, it really isn't about the story, it's about the jokes. In fact, that's really the only reason that this is getting a 7. Even if I don't want to admit it, I did laugh quite a bit at this film. Tatum and Hill have great chemistry and the humor bounces between them very well. I AM fairly tired of Hill's comedy schtick, but combined with the poking fun of clichés and even at the film itself, it's a pretty consistently funny movie. Heck, there's even a cameo that almost makes it worthwhile, though I am sure you can probably guess what that is.

With so many films coming out that really are nothing to write home about, 21 Jump Street isn't a bad way to kill time at the theater. It's certainly funnier than I expected. Not a great film, but a funny one and maybe worth your time.

Unexpectedly hilarious and clever. 21 Jump Street subverts all expectations.

[brendanrmorrow · 9/10 · 17 March 2012]

21 Jump Street sounds like a terrible idea on paper: a big screen adaptation of an ABC TV series from the 80s. Was anyone really clamoring for that? Was there any reason to adapt that into a feature film in 2012? It sounds like just another example of Hollywood cashing in on an established franchise, akin to the decision to make a movie based on the board game Battleship. As it turns out 21 Jump Street is barely an adaptation, and it isn't just an excuse to capitalize on an old concept. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the team behind the brilliant and absurd Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, use the fact that nobody is too invested in the source material to their advantage, subverting all expectations for what a movie like this would be. The result is a smart, exciting and often hilarious action-comedy with real stakes and a surprising amount of heart.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star as Schmidt and Jenko respectively, two rookie cops who went to high school together, though belonging to different social circles. Jenko was the popular jock while Schmidt was the unpopular nerd. When they realize each has something the other one needs, a friendship sparks and they become partners. After a failed drug bust, they're reassigned to a special division when their police station decides to "revive a cancelled program from the 80s" (get it?). They're sent to a local high school undercover as students to investigate and bring down a drug ring. Despite identical titles, I don't know if we can even call this an adaptation of the show. While the TV show was primarily a drama, the film is essentially a satire of movies and shows like 21 Jump Street, fully aware of all of the clichés of its genre.

Writer Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) seems to have realized nobody really cared about a 21 Jump Street movie and instead decided to make something totally different. Early on, in a scene of dialogue that may as well have been delivered directly into the camera, a character explains that there aren't any original ideas these days and so we're stuck rehashing old concepts from the 80s to make a quick buck. In this way and many others, the movie is all about subverting your expectations, which based on this premise are probably very low. It's anything but a lazy cash grab, taking everything you know about buddy cop films and turning it on its head. It embraces the stupidity of its concept too, by constantly acknowledging that Hill and Tatum are way too old to be posing as high school kids, or by having Ice Cube play the stereotypical black police captain from every 80s movie ever, and then outright acknowledging that. In a hilarious early scene Schmidt and Jenko's roles are reversed, with the jock forced to pose as the nerd and the nerd posing as the jock. 21 Jump Street thrives on the unexpected.

Many were initially unsure how Channing Tatum would perform, as he is an actor who has never headlined in any major comedies before. While Jonah Hill is without a doubt the star, having had tons of experience in films like Superbad and Knocked Up, Tatum does a fine job as well and the two actors have great chemistry together. In movies like this with two main leads, the rapport between them can make or break the film. With 21 Jump Street, it absolutely makes it.

That's ultimately why the movie works as well as it does. Any successful comedy needs real stakes. Otherwise, it just feels like a series of Saturday Night Live sketches with no real purpose. A few years ago, Superbad was extremely successful not just for being a goofy and raunchy comedy, but also for having a believable high school friendship at its core. Similarly, 21 Jump Street works because the friendship between its protagonists feels real, and as a result there are real emotional stakes to go along with the satire. Driving this silly, raunchy comedy is a truly interesting story about popularity and friendship in high school, and about how you might act differently if you could go back as an adult. It's easily the funniest comedy in well over a year, but it's not just a vehicle for jokes: 21 Jump Street tells a great story, too.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller seem to love surprising us. As with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street is a movie nobody expected to be great. Its brilliance lies in the fact that it knows all of your complaints ahead of time. Think it sounds like a cheap cash crab based on an 80s property? They make a joke about that. Think Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are too old to play high school kids? They make a joke about that too. It's extremely clever and always two steps ahead of the audience. But what really stands out about 21 Jump Street is that it's not just an enjoyable and hilarious time at the theater, it also tells a genuinely interesting and emotionally compelling story, developing its characters in a way you probably wouldn't anticipate from a raunchy high school comedy.

Let's jump into 21 Jump Street. Surprising it was pretty good.

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 16 May 2013]

At first, I didn't want to watch this movie. Not that I'm loyal to the original or anything. I wasn't a huge fan of the 1987's show '21 Jump Street' nor did the trailers do any favors. The trailer look awful, and it seemed like an entirely pointless remake. I did however watch this movie when my friends told me that I should give it a try. I guess the movie had a lot of Street Cred. Surprising this movie was pretty good, and pretty damn funny. The movie starts out with not the original cast or even the same characters of the show, but two new characters in their high school days. While, it's only for a very brief time on film, just long enough to establish Schmidt (Jonah Hill) as an insecure nerd and Jenko (Channing Tatum) as a dumb jock. It then cuts to present day, where both are working as undercover cops on Jump Street. The new cops are tasked with finding the supplier of a new recreational drug called "HFS". For them, to find him, they must go undercover at the local high school, and forced to relive their old high school days. They soon find out that surprising, the high school life has change since their outing. The movie comedy is mostly hits for me, as I love how they make fun of high school comedy and buddy-cop clichés. There are a lot of unexpected and hilarious lines delivered totally straight forward. The movie does have quite a few moments of parody that were pretty funny. This is just one of those high school movie clichés that the movie had to hit. The high school over the top party. The twist here is that the party is being put on by a couple of totally irresponsible and stupid adults, who not only have access to alcohol but an entire evidence locker full of illegal drugs. I find this part of the movie, a bit of contradiction. Schmidt and Jenko try to arrest a bunch of bikers in the beginning of the movie, for smoking marijuana. Then later on the film, they steals marijuana to be used at the party. How is it, OK for them to smoke 'Mary Jane' and not the bikers? Also, the movie glorified their irresponsible for serving alcohol to minors is just wrong. Also how the movie makes it seem that if you want to have a good time, take drugs and drink alcohol. Don't add glamor to that kind of stuff for minors. That's why we have stupid shows like 16 & Pregnant. Don't ask how they even became cops in the first place, and how they never get punished for any of the mistakes they do throughout the film like forgetting the Miranda rights, stealing cars, and weapon discharge. Not one disciplinary action for anything they do. Also how is Jonah Hill's character Schmidt allow to hit on Molly (Brie Larson) when she could be underage? The movie never establish what her age is, but if she is 17, that's still a criminal act of having relationship with a minor. They make several gags in the movie about how Jenko and Schmidt look old, yet the actors portraying the high schoolers don't look like they belong there, too. The only ones, I did believe were in high school was the so called geeks. The acting is pretty good from all the cast. Yes, there are a few cameos of the Original cast of '21 Jump Street' playing themselves. While the TV show was taking as a serious crime drama, the movie makes it seem like a joke, even beloved characters are made out to be silly. If you are a fan of the 1987's show, you might find this movie making fun of you, and making you feel stupid for liking the original show. I don't get the film, is it trying to pay tribute to the show or parody it? The movie has false advertising written all over. For the regular fans of the show, do warning, this movie isn't like the show. Anyways their cameo is very short so if you're not paying attention, you might miss it. By the way, check all the shots on the TV in the film. Look at the scene where they are getting a car, and last the scene where the drug deal go wrong. You will find them there. The music choices for film are pretty good, but I can do without that damn Kesha's song in the end. Overall, the movie is pretty entertaining to me. So go see it.

Finds a nice ground between entertaining and hysterical

[blackmambamark · 9/10 · 23 February 2012]

On the surface, this movie looks like it would be somewhat mediocre. But it's actually pretty damn good. When you're not laughing your pants off (and believe me, you will be), you'll have no problem being just plain entertained by it's ability to just have fun. It does a great job of not only avoiding giant cliché's, but making fun of them in the process. Jonah Hill will have you laughing, and Channing Tatum actually did a good job in this movie.......not surprising seeing that the role called for him to be a douche bag. Which once again, is something to chuckle about. Towards the end, the movie does tend to drag on, but has no problem pulling you right back into it's fun. As far as comedies go, this is a pretty good way to start off 2012

How about a pound of weed.....

[FlashCallahan · 7/10 · 27 April 2012]

In high school, Schmidt was a dork and Jenko was the popular jock.

After graduation, both of them joined the police force and ended up as partners riding bicycles in the city park.

Since they are young and look like high school students, they are assigned to an undercover unit to infiltrate a drug ring that is supplying high school students synthetic drugs....

Yes it's the movie version of that TV show that hardly anyone remembers in England but made Depp a star.

This goes down the Starsky and Hutch route, and goes funny all the way. It works on many levels, and instead of this being a gross out comedy, which it could have clearly gone down, it goes for subtle laughs and action, and relies on the cast chemistry to make it work.

It's Tatums best performance, he shines in this movie and outdoes anyone on the screen. He is easily the funniest thing, which is odd, because Hill is usually very good (here he is slightly annoying).

The story is predictable, as is the special cameo, and this sometimes hinders the flow of the film, but although the plot and narrative can be convoluted, the spin on changing the two leads status at school is a great inclusion to the film, as is the set piece which involves the two expecting things to explode, which sounds silly, but is funny.

So all in all, it's a film that shouldn't be funny, but it is, thanks to some great performances and a fresh feel to it all around.

Well worth seeing.

Surprise!

[Psy-Ko · 10/10 · 19 May 2012]

I really expected to hate this! I was a big fan of the original show and did not want to see this made. But today for some strange reason I found myself watching it ... and I loved it! Very different from the original series which I think was a good move! It really didn't even need to be called 21 Jump street, it could have stood on it's own but kinda glad they did so I could see all those cameos from the originals :) That was fun! I really don't have anything bad to say about this movie, it was written well, the actors were good and it was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time! I gave it a 10 star and it's rare that I do that!

Way better than it should be

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 12 February 2019]

Sure, this is based on the 1987-91 television series of the same name by Stephen J. Cannell and Patrick Hasburgh, but I was amazed by how much I loved this movie. It takes that concept, goes crazy and pushes every teen movie cliche as far as it can take it.

In 2005, Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) are denied access to their prom, with Schmidt rejected and Jenko's grades keeping him away. Years later, they meet again at police academy and somehow become best friends and eventually bike patrol partners. Their first arrest, a drug bust, goes bad when Greg forgets the Miranda rights.

The team is reassigned to the Jump Street team, which infiltrates high schools with undercover agents under the command of Captain Dickson (Ice Cube).

There's a drug at Sagan High School called HFS that has been killing students, so Morton and Greg get new identities and learn that society has changed. Everything that made Greg popular is now frowned upon, so his only friends are the geeks. Morton is now popular and fast friends with Eric (Dave Franco), who is creating the drugs.

Can the guys catch the criminals? Will Morton fall in love with Eric's girlfriend Molly (Brie Larson)? Will they throw a massive drug fueled party? Of course. But getting there is so much fun, as this is a movie that doesn't take itself or its subject matter seriously.

There are some great supporting actors here, from Rob Riggle as a gym teacher to Chris Parnell as a drama teacher, Ellie Kemper as a science teacher, Dakota Johnson as a fellow Jump Street team member and Nick Offerman as the Deputy Chief. If you loved the original show, good news. All of the original cast, except Richard Grieco and Dustin Nguyen, appear in cameo roles.

Worth Your Time

[Pycs · 8/10 · 19 March 2012]

'21 Jump Street' is a largely forgotten late 80s/early 90s television show, which today is widely acknowledged for helping launch the career of actor Johnny Depp, who you made of heard of. Having not seen a single episode of the program (which was before my time), could I make it through this film with a complete understanding without any backstory?

Let me get one thing straight: unlike the show (which deals with such heavy issues as child abuse, homophobia, AIDS, and hat crimes), this is a raunchy comedy. And the movie's not afraid to admit it, as the first ten minutes alone provide us with a galore of genitalia and gross out gags. Normally, these would scare me away and become a liability when considering how one movie would score. Maybe it's the fact that the funniest moments stem from witty banter or creative sequences rather than gross out themselves, but it the raunchiness didn't seem to bother me (for the most part.)

Then there's Channing Tatum. If you were to bring his name up anytime before this year, I would shutter.I mean, we all know he might not have the greatest resume ('Fighting' anyone?), but he's honestly one of the best things about this movie. So much so that he even manages to be better than Jonah Hill, one of the best comedic actors working today. Rob Riggle and Ice Cube each provide inspired supporting roles that are nearly laugh out loud funny each time they're on screen, never feeling forced or overused.

Does the film have problems? Well...yeah. I won't deny that. Some of the jokes fall flat, while some jokes that initially worked are stretched a little too far. There's the (inevitably) love story between one of the main characters and a high school girl feels too forced and only is there to serve as a 'love story.' But, for the most part, I completely enjoyed it, though I can't ever see myself taking time to watch it again.

So if turning a serious-themed show like '21 Jump Street' into a very good raunchy comedy does make me wonder if other old 80s TV shows would make a similar transition. Wouldn't Alf as a pot-smoking, potty-mouthed slacker who still lives with his mom in modern day Los Angeles be an instant classic?

Wonderfully Kitschy

[bella-enfield · 7/10 · 22 January 2022]

This movie... I went into it thinking it would be like every other buddy cop movie I've ever see. And it was. But that's the beauty of it. It fully leans into the fact that comedy buddy cop movies have become something of a trope. It IS tropey and somehow subverts those tropes at the same time. It's profane and violent but I had a GREAT time watching it. Sometimes, all you need is a little slapstick comedy and an in-your-face, half-assed message.

Delightful. I, for one, loved it and all the characters in a dear-god-what're-you-doing sorta way.

Few laughs in this 'Animal House meets Lethal Weapon' misfire

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 4 April 2012]

Despite all the hype, I'm sad to report that 21 Jump Street, the new action comedy based on the 1987 TV series, just isn't very funny. My problem with it, is that Jonah Hill's 'Morton Schmidt' and Channing Tatum's 'Greg Jenko' are so over the top as cops, that you cannot take most of it very seriously at all.

For example, when Jenko can't remember his Miranda warnings, or even worse, when Jenko fires his gun in the park, after tackling a bad guy, these type of things would probably lead to immediate dismissal from the force in real life. And what about, after being expressly prohibited from serving alcohol to minors, the bumbling duo go ahead and serve up drinks at the 'undercover' party, anyway?; not to mention the confiscated marijuana they take from the police property room place, without authorization.

The joke is supposed to be that in reality Schmidt and Jenko are really glorified fraternity members, who just happen to have jobs as police officers. Where I could definitely buy a bunch of 'loose cannon' fraternity members in a film like 'Animal House', where one demented group is pitted against a 'straight' one, it doesn't really work in the police setting, since as stated above, improprieties are simply not tolerated.

While a good deal of the humor of '21 Jump Street' is juvenile in nature, on one occasion it veers into the area of being quite vile. This is near film's end when the bad guy is castrated and somehow, we're ask to laugh when viewing the scene of his detached member. No it's not funny and I hope word gets around that this is the kind of gross 'humor', Hill and his fellow scenarists are trying to peddle.

No need to recount all the details of the plot. Suffice it to say, that Schmidt and Jenko are on a mission to take down assorted bad guys who have been selling a new 'designer drug' in the school. It's your typical buddy movie where Schmidt is the nerd with a brain who can help the intellectually challenged Jenko, and Jenko is the jock with a powerhouse punch who can bring the socially inept Schmidt, out of his shell.

Actually, it's the bad guys, who really keep the story moving along. There's 'Eric', the eco-friendly big man on campus who moonlights as a drug dealer, and his supplier, Mr. Walters, a physical education teacher, whose goofy demeanor masks a huge anger management problem. To top it off, an assorted bunch of nasties, consisting of bikers and gang members, led by the menacing 'Domingo', lend an air of verisimilitude, not found in the antics of the principals, Jenko and Schmidt.

Occasionally, there are a few amusing bits in '21 Jump' including trucks filled with gasoline that fail to explode as well as some funny hallucinations which we get to see, when the protagonists are forced to take drugs in order not to blow their cover. But on the whole, Jonah Hill and co-writer Michael Bacall's frat-boy humor, lacks subtlety and relies on low-level slapstick routines, to get by. At this point, America is so desperate for something humorous in the movies these days, that a mediocre exercise such as this, is hailed as a comic masterpiece!

The only thing getting blown tonight is their cover

[MB-reviewer185 · 7/10 · 31 March 2023]

This movie is based on the series 21 Jump Street that went from 1987 to 1991, but this movie knows it is not going to be like the show along with it referencing it. I thought 21 Jump Street (2012) was a very funny movie that made me laugh from beginning to end.

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill were incredibly good in the movie, I liked their characters, and I liked seeing their friendship with each other. They were very funny, and I thought they also did action scenes well, plus Ice Cube in this was also very funny when he is talking to Channing Tatum's and Jonah Hill's characters about doing their jobs, with Dave Franco who was also funny.

The movie makes fun about police officer cliches from movies or shows, the show it is based on, and the main characters age when blending into high school. The action scenes and/or chase scenes were fun, funny, and entertaining to watch when they tend to happen during weird scenarios.

It has a funny abrupt ending, and the movie has a message in there about people who are addicted to drugs. 21 Jump Street (2012) was a fun, funny, and entertaining movie where people will have fun and all and all an enjoyable time.

Non-Stop Laughs,

[lesleyharris30 · 9/10 · 18 March 2013]

21 Jump Street is a brilliant movie with a well developed storyline and an outstanding comedic cast. It is filled with pure and sincere laughs from start to finish, certainly one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a long time, mostly made brilliant with the terrific chemistry between leads Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, you could tell that they got along very well on the set and enjoyed working together. The movie was also quite heartwarming at times and the characters developed surprisingly well, those are two significant things that make a movie great, as we symphatize with the characters more, but comedies like this usually don't bother with it, I was very impressed that this movie did. Absoluteky hilarious and very enjoyable, I would highly recommend 21 Jump Street to anyone looking for a good comedy

New police officers Schmidt and Jenko are sent on an investigation to a high school to find and catch a group of people involved in a drug ring occurring in the school.

Best Performance: Jonah Hill Worst Performance: Jake Johnson