film review: step up 3D

Review by Kimberley Carey.

Step Up 3D is the third instalment from the popular franchise – and in case the clever addition of the letter ‘D’ flew over your head, it was also filmed in 3D.

The movie opens with one of our main characters, Moose (Adam G. Sevani), on his first day at NYU. And because his parents are just so relieved that he has gotten over that whole ‘dance thing’ and is now concentrating on an engineering degree, the first thing he does is participate in a dance off. But uh-oh, the guy he just out-danced is a member of the ‘House of Samurai’ – an enemy dance group of Moose’s new generically really good looking friend Luke (Rick Malambri) and his dancing ‘Pirates.’  Predictable plot ensues, involving a high stakes dance-off and PG love story.

Though obviously formulaic, the movie is reasonably well put together and the cast do a decent job at making their characters likable enough; though they typically lack any depth. The dialogue is mainly just exposition to move the plot along.  Eg. “I haven’t payed the mortgage on this place for six months, but with the help of this mysterious girl and my new friend Moose, we can defeat the antagonistic House of Samurai, win the World Jam title!  We’ll win $100 000 prize money, and live happily ever after!  Yay!”  But really, who has time for all this ‘showing instead of telling’ business when there are several flashy dance montages to get through?

This is what turns Step Up 3D from a forgettable cheesy teen flick into a thoroughly enjoyable cheesy teen flick. While lacking the heart of such classics as Dirty Dancing and the poignant social commentary of Save the Last Dance, Step Up 3D certainly doesn’t lack on the moves or the beats. The dancing was incredible (causing me to intermittently exclaim, “Wah, WHOAH, look it… Look it! How does he, like, do that!” and so forth) and though not being a huge fan of hip-hop I did enjoy the music.

The dance montages included everything from walls made of boom boxes, to waterlogged dance floors, to a quite adorable Singing in the Rain-esque sequence that was all bright colours, red brick exteriors and the clever use of bin lids and portraits as props.

With plot holes a-plenty Step Up 3D is definitely not a movie to think too hard about; rather, it is a movie to be enjoyed and to leave you feeling all warm inside when at the end the characters learn to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.  Coz when you’re BFABB*, nothing can stop you.

*Born From A Boom Box