MYST POST #2:  21 Jump Street

I recently watched the movie 21 Jump Street and even though I have seen it many times, I never get bored of seeing it.  The main characters in the movie are played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.  Together, the two make the perfect pair.  The movie is about these two cops who go undercover at a high school in order to infiltrate drug dealers.  They experience the differences of modern day high school from when they were teenagers.  As the movie goes on, the main characters (Schmidt and Jenko) learn about who they really are as people and realize the importance of friendship.  It is a comedy and an action movie, which makes it that much better.  Tatum and Hill provide the right about of humor.  Hill is more of the nerdy, clumsy guy, where Tatum is built, strong, and athletic.  Their performances are hilarious and anyone who loves a good comedy should definitely see this movie.  I would give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars because the plot was exciting and the comedy aspect of the movie was really enjoyable to laugh.

 

The directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, use a lot of interesting techniques and camera angles.  During one of the major end fight scenes, the shots go into a slow motion pace.  This ultimately has the effect of adding comedy to the scene, while also allowing the audience to see each individual thing that is happening.  During another scene, the camera pans out to an extreme long shot where the audience has a full length view of the house Schmidt and Jenko are staying at.  The scene includes the characters completing chores such as taking out the trash or mowing the lawn.  The reason why this camera angle is effective is because it allows for the audience to see the setting of the house.  However, the scene is also really funny to watch because we are watching two grown men doing household chores for their mom.  Overall, I thought that the directors did a great job of using special editing and stylistic techniques.  Here is a link to the yard scene I was talking about above....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTFL1E3wU58

One specific scene that stood out to me was when Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are forced to use the drugs that the dealers at the high school are selling.  Since they are "undercover", they are forced to try and fit in with the cool people at the high school and ultimately find the drug dealers.  In one scene, they actually have to use the drugs themselves.  The scene shows the sequential effects of the drugs, some of which include being super hyper and hallucinating.  The scene is hilarious because it flips back and forth from how the drugs affect Hill to how the drugs affect Tatum.  Hill ends up going on stage in front of a drama class and belts out a song, while Tatum barges into the band room and begins banging on percussion symbols.  At the end of the scene, the drugs cause them to fall wherever they into an instant deep sleep.  This scene definitely worked because it allowed the audience a preview of how the drugs worked and it provided a lot of comedy.

The pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reminded me a lot of the pairing of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in the movie Wedding Crashers.  Vaughn, like Tatum, is a big tall guy who has a unique sense of humor.  Wilson, like Hill, is more on the shorter and skinner side.  They come together in the movie and make a good comical duo.  Also, the movie 21 Jump Street is similar to to the movie So Undercover, with Miley Cyrus.  In that movie, she is also a detective that goes undercover as a college student.  I think the undercover movies are really funny because the audience gets to see how these characters attempt to have normal teenage lives.  They are forced to "fit in with society" and take on more juvenile characters.  I know that the sequel, 22 Jump Street, is coming out soon and I can't wait to go see that.