Oh, how the fanboys cried when it was announced that 80s cult show "21 Jump Street" would receive the official dumbing down by Hollywood, it was a sight to behold. Not just that the tone of the movie was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek now, no, they also cast Jonah Hill and charisma vacuum Channing Tatum as the leads. Was there any better way to doom a project?
In all actuality, "21 Jump Street" exceeds all expectations. It is not just a much better TV to screen adaptation than the lazy Ben Stiller/Own Wilson vehicle "Starsky & Hutch" or the OTT "Charlie's Angels", no, it stands on its own. Again, fans of the show will be majorly upset, complaining that this barely has anything in common with the original. Then again, I'd personally rather see an entertaining movie that freely uses its source material than some embarrassing rehash that slavishly clings to its corny origins.
The one thing that the modern "21 Jump Street" takes from the Johnny Depp show is the basic story line, involving police detectives working undercover as students in high school. Besides that there's not much that ties the two together and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller just use it as a springboard for a great action comedy.
We see Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as the unlikely leads and surprisingly, they have great chemistry. Hill gives his usual shtick but the real deal is Tatum, showing some serious comedy talent, probably the last thing that anyone would have expected from him. What the script lacks in character development for the two is easily made up by hilarious dialogue and little jibes against the ridiculous premise. That's what makes it so refreshing, the movie is completely self aware of its supposed cliches and has just fun messing with old formulas. Every time you see a familiar set piece coming (the first day at school, the outrageous party, prom night, you get the idea), the film takes your expectations and turns them upside down.
In spite of all that you can clearly see how much the makers care about the original. It's not just a remake of a random 80s show, it's practically taking all the good things from 80s action buddy comedies and modernizes them for a younger audience. The lack of any character depth or real drama is therefore not a flaw but a necessary means.
"21 Jump Street" knows how to keep you entertained for the entire run time and while it's fairly forgettable, it'll make for a fun experience nonetheless.
No comments:
Post a Comment