22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie Review

Jump on in. The absurdity feels fine.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 6, 2014

Rolling eyes, sighs, and irritated cries of "there's nothing new in Hollywood!" echo ever more loudly with every retread that studios spit out at audiences anymore. Yet people keep going, so expect more hocking. 22 Jump Street stays with the trend but bucks it at the same time. It's a gleeful wink-and-a-nod ride of smartly crafted mindlessness, a 24 frames-per-second oxymoron that's as fun as it is dumb and as clever as it is trite. The entire movie embraces the idea of the "been there, done that, do it again" Hollywood mentality by going there and doing that, again, but with so much charm and irreverence in equal proportions that even the most hard-to-please filmgoer will probably walk away with a smile. It's a proverbial love letter -- written in exacting English chicken scratch on pricey paper and with a cheap pencil -- to modern moviegoers who will appreciate every little jab at itself and the larger system while still maintaining high energy, plenty of wit, and no shortage of crude humor that's as tasteful as it can be. It's a film that gets everything right by doing so much wrong, a true accomplishment that deserves more acclaim than it will ever receive.

Party animals.

Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum), fresh off their high school assignment, are given a new task: go to college. They've been assigned as roommates at MC State where a new drug dubbed "WHYPHY" has been spreading across campus. It allows users to study hard for several hours before pushing them to let loose and party harder afterwards. Their goal: track down the dealer and cut off the supply. Their initial foray into higher learning proves mostly successful, but as college tends to do to best friends, they're slowly drawn apart and towards other people. While Jenko develops a bond with a football player named Zook (Wyatt Russell), Schmidt finds himself attracted to a beautiful young art major named Maya (Amber Stevens). Can they hold off the new temptations and stay on task, or will the allure of college life and the strain on their relationship keep them from completing their assignment?

22 Jump Street works so well because it's so brazenly open about what it is. The complete lack of seriousness is its best asset and it remains fresh by topping itself time and time again, going further and further but never so far as to feel forced or repetitive, either of which would alienate the audience and destroy everything the movie works so hard to build. Instead, the viewer is kept enthralled, wondering what whacky, rhythmic stunt, revelation, or deliciously corny event will happen next. Even the most extreme bits of randomness work. It's all perfectly timed and so well conceived that it doesn't feel at all planned but effortlessly natural, a pure, unadulterated result of how these characters work together and, sometimes, alone. The movie, then, feels completely comfortable with itself, with everything it does, everywhere it goes, whether in its endlessly absurd humor, poking fun at its own style and genre, or mimicking the off-the-wall, transparent 80s Action movie style it so lovingly embraces where laughs, character camaraderie, and well-developed action prove far more important than detailed plot lines. The movie is at its best when under the microscope of self-deprecation but it works very well with every last little wink and nod that sees it through and molds it into one of the finest Comedies since, well, 21 Jump Street (and stay tuned for the credits which offer perhaps the best post-film shenanigans ever, right up front).

All of these well-conceived shenanigans work as well as they do not only because of the clever writing and superb direction from both Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, but also because of the cast's complete commitment and total understanding of what the movie is and what it wants to accomplish. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are terrific in the leads, both of whom play things somewhat understated but aggressively so, milking each ridiculous deadpan moment and over-the-top zany scene with an uncanny expertise. Tatum uses his stiffness to his advantage in the more low-key comedy scenes but also excels when he's allowed to run wild -- sometimes literally -- and lose all control, a perfect example being an explosion of laughter in Captain Dickson's office that in any other movie would go on for far too long but that here never grows tiresome thanks to the raw enthusiasm Tatum expresses the whole way through. Hill likewise shows a wide range of emotive skill and works them to his advantage across the entire broad spectrum of humor in the film, and his camaraderie with Tatum is second-to-none, great when they are together and even more palpably intense when they are apart. Ice Cube, however, absolutely steals the show, particularly when he and the audience alike are presented with a sudden comedic twist that beautifully redefines the film's first half and nicely sets up some quality humor dynamics for the second.

22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

22 Jump Street's squeaky-clean presentation should delight modern movie and Blu-ray fans. The image's clarity is a great strength, and even if it's a little flat and sterile, its consistency and accuracy to the digital photography source is impressive. Details are precise. Brighter scenes in particular reveal pinpoint facial lines, clothing textures, and the finest background idiosyncrasies across campus, inside and out alike. Colors are bold and healthy, again with the film's brightest outdoor scenes -- like any on the football field -- appearing spectacularly accurate and pleasant. Skin tones are even and only slightly warm when influenced by lower lighting conditions, while black levels are inky and pure. The image suffers from no perceptible digital anomalies in the way of blockiness, banding, or other maladies. Overall, this is another reference-quality transfer from Sony.

22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

22 Jump Street hops onto Blu-ray with a solid, but not quite reference level, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. For the most part, it impresses greatly. Music is invigorating and healthy, with firm, focused stage presence, seamless spacing, natural surround support, and a positive low end accompaniment. It's active and aggressive but not irritatingly so, finding that perfect cinema quality presence in every scene. Light ambient effects around campus are nicely integrated, whether minor background subtleties or more hefty football game elements. Action effects are strong but come up just lacking. Gunfire and explosions could stand a little more punch and vitality but what's here at least satisfies basic action requirements. Dialogue delivery is consistently accurate and center-channel aligned. Despite a few disappointing misfires in the action department, this track satisfies across all other fronts.

22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

22 Jump Street contains a myriad of extras, including a commentary track, deleted and extended scenes, and a handful of featurettes. In the case buyers will also find a DVD copy of the film and a UV digital copy voucher.

• Audio Commentary : Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller and Actors Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum open with a completely off-the-cuff story about a recorded cough that sets the tone for the rest of the track, which is as irreverent as the movie. Good, tangible information is oftentimes buried in four flapping mouths yapping at once, but it's a very fun party style track that's as funny as the movie and filled with "F" bombs. Fans will enjoy this one a great deal.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes (1080p): Prologue (2:52), Roof Dancing (1:34), Ghost Ride (1:27), Taco Street (1:18), Force Choke (1:18), Mercedes in the Library (0:37), Mr. Walters & Eric (5:10), Rooster Chips (0:39), Art Party (2:58), Delroy Has an Idea (0:38), Vietnamese Jesus (1:26), Schmidt Visits Maya (3:13), Parents Brunch (3:35), Maya, Dickson and Schmidt (2:48), Dickson Appears (1:24), McQuaid and Zook's Football Tape (1:53), Big Dogs (1:25), Dickson's Daughter? (0:19), Booker (2:29), Zack is Wounded (0:50), Interns vs. Mercedes (1:10), and Dickson Apologizes (2:45). With optional Directors' commentary.
• The Perfect Couple of Directors (1080p, 9:36): A good overview piece in which the cast and crew -- including the directors -- discuss the sequel process, story ideas, and the directors' camaraderie and working style. Also included are some random moments from the shoot.
• Everything Is Better in College (1080p, 7:49): A look at the differences between college and high school, the college drinking culture, the filmmakers' implementation of their own college experiences into the movie, college plot details, and more.
• Janning and Chonah (1080p, 7:37): A look at the leads' screen chemistry.
• New Recruits (1080p, 9:45): This supplement focuses on some of the new cast in the film, including Wyatt Russell, Jimmy Tatro, Amber Stevens, Kenny and Keith Lucas, and Jillian Bell.
• The Perfect Line (1080p, 7:09): A look at cast improvisations throughout the shoot.
• Don't Cut Yet (1080p, 8:36): An extended sequence with multiple angles.
• Joke-A-Palooza (1080p, 5:59): A collection of humorous moments cut from the film.
• Line-O-Ramas (1080p): More humorous moments from the shoot. Included are Jenko and the Professor (1:37), Jenko Improv Suggestions (1:29), Schmidt and Tattoo Art (1:23), Mercedes on Schmidt's Age (4:08), and Mercedes and the Ghost (1:22).
• The Dramatic Interpretation of 22 Jump Street (1080p, 9:59): From the supplement: "Because comedies often don't translate well overseas, the directors were asked to make an alternate cut, positioning the film as a crime drama instead of a buddy comedy. Anything that could possibly be construed as funny was removed. The resulting 9 minute 30 second cut is shown here in its entirety." And it's actually nearly as funny as the movie, in its own way. Watch after watching the entire film for best results.
• Zook & McQuaid Scout Reel (1080p, 2:17): A recruitment video featuring the movie's two primary football playing characters.
• Jenko Split (1080p, 0:45): A fun little throwaway piece featuring...a split. Call Van Damme.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

22 Jump Street Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

22 Jump Street just may be one of the best films of the year, certainly not in a classic sense of the phrase but without question a movie lover's movie that knows its audience, understands its style, and has so much unabashed fun jabbing itself and the entire industry that one cannot help but fall in love with how well it works. Completely unoriginal yet teeming with novelty in the way it completely gives itself up to a well established style, the picture, like the centerpiece drug that drives the plot, always shows signs of working as hard as it plays, resulting in a picture that's sheer entertainment through-and-through, one that's very well made, endlessly funny, and a pleasure to watch. Sony's Blu-ray release of 22 Jump Street features excellent video, quality audio, and a wide range of bonus features. Highly recommended.