Step Up Revolution [Step Up: Miami Heat] - Movie Review

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

The Step Up franchise has never been noted for its astute screenwriting, but this instalment sets the bar so low that even its bendy cast members would have trouble limboing under it. Even so, the cut-and-paste characters and plot can't make this sweaty dance movie boring.

In a noble but poor neighbourhood under a stack of bridges by the Miami River, Sean (Guzman) and his pal Eddy (Gabriel) lead an underground dance crew called The Mob to perform flash-mob antics in picturesque locations. Their goal is to win an online competition and go pro. Then Sean meets Emily (McCormick), whose property tycoon dad (Gallagher) wants to destroy Sean's neighbourhood to build another glitzy development. While trying to make her own way in dance school, Emily hides her identity to join The Mob and take on Dad.

Director Speer blands down Miami with glowy lighting, swirling mist and hosed-down streets. Not to mention faux-ethnic characters and dancing that's choreographed to within an inch of our noses (although the 3D is only effective in the climactic mega-dance). All of this is photographed by someone named Crash in a way that never quite captures the adrenaline of the street performances or the emotions of the characters.

Amid this sea of cliches, Gallagher lends the film some steeliness, although his misty-eyed moments are laughable. Guzman is strikingly photogenic, even if he doesn't have much presence as either a romantic lead or a dancer. But then the film essentially neuters him, allowing him only a couple of chaste kisses and some grinding, shirtless dance moves. McCormick is more expressive in a role that actually has some layers. And her dancing is beautiful.

In the end, this corny and under-developed movie is an engaging guilty pleasure. We never feel an inkling of suspense, nor do we believe that a group of scruffy but talented performers could stage any of these elaborately spectacular stunts, which would cost a small fortune to mount. But they look so relentlessly cool, and the central romance is so shamelessly cute, that we find ourselves smiling all the way through it.

Facts and Figures

Year: 2012

Production compaines: Summit Entertainment

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 2.5 / 5

Cast & Crew

Director: Scott Speer

Producer: Erik Feig, Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman, Patrick Wachsberger

Screenwriter: Amanda Brody

Starring: Kathryn McCormick as Emily, Ryan Guzman as Sean, Stephen Boss as Jason, Megan Boone as Claire, Jessica Guadix as Dancer, Cleopatra Coleman as Penelope, Zoe Aggeliki as Dancer, Tommy Dewey as Tripp, Celestina as Mob Dancer, Adam G. Sevani as Moose, Peter Gallagher as Mr Anderson

Also starring: Erik Feig, Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman, Patrick Wachsberger