21 Jump Street (2012)
Certified: 18
Duration: 109 minutes
Directed by: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Ice Cube, Ellie Kemper, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle
KRS release

Johnny Depp in a poster of the TV series.

This adaptation of the 1980s cult TV series starring Johnny Depp is simply full of swagger, spirit and, most of all, fun.

The characters are very likable and the action steamrolls ahead with such boundless energy that it is very difficult not to end up enjoying this picture.

Rotund and loser Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and highly-popular Jenko (Channing Tatum) have never been the best of friends. Once they finish high school, the two end up in the very same police academy. While Jenko is hopeless in memorising rules and laws, Schmidt is simply helpless in physical training and thus the two end up bonding and helping each other out.

After graduation they are accorded non-glamorous jobs: bicycle cops in the park.

However, at one point they get assigned to 21 Jump Street, a pro-ject that places youthful cops undercover in high school to stop teenage crime.

Given orders by the perennially-angry Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), the duo is to stop a drug-dealing ring which is being run by Eric (Dave Franco). The two mix up their covers and this has Schmidt becoming popular and getting the attention of two of the teachers and the beautiful Molly (Brie Larson).

Meanwhile, Jenko ends up with the intelligent class and has to survive the sexual attentions of Ms Griggs (Ellie Kemper), the chemistry teacher.

But this adaptation just nods at the series and is more intent on finding ways and means of how to mix the high school movie with the buddy cop genre into the same pot. The result is a hilarious mix of both.

The film pushes its characters into one over-the-top situation after the other, pulled off by the chemistry between Mr Channing and Mr Hill.

Both are at the top of their game, and I got the feeling that the two were simply improvising their way through some of the scenes, giving the film an added spark.

Ice Cube as the perennially-angry chief is also a hoot and Ellie Kemper is simply hilarious as she tries to control her urges.

The film produces an uncanny mix of silliness, craziness, action and over-the-top antics.