Step Up 3D

My friend and I decided to watch up Step Up 3D yesterday. Ironically, the movie house we went to doesn't show it on 3D, which was fine with us because I'm all after the dancing part. After seeing the movie, I felt relieved that we didn't see in on 3D because it would have been a waste of money. It was just a dance movie after all.

I choose not to discuss the plot, as it is as shallow as it could get. There was nothing new about the story - it was the same old "reach for your dreams" thing which was laid down on a very typical and boring storyline. The character of Luke, as I noticed, was actually a bad influence type as there were scenes where he pressured Moose to skip his classes at NYU, which I don't find cool at all. There were also some racist elements of the film (scenes that seem to ridicule Asians) which are things I highly detest in American films like this.

Anyway, I was really impressed with all the dancing parts. Most of them are hip-hop moves which really hyped up the movie. The "club feel" of the songs used added to the vibrancy of it all. I also liked the jazz dance of Moose and Camille on the street near the ice cream stand. It seemed to be more of a musical theater type for me, which temporarily took the viewers away from the "reality feel" of the movie. I give my two thumbs up to the choreographers and dancers.

On the other hand, I feel sad that I couldn't give praises to the acting, as they were not that good. There were many awkward scenes brought about by the lack of characterization. I have to cite Julien (played by Joe Slaughter) who seemed to be gay by the way Slaughter acted his character - the way he talks and walks, his swagger, among others. There were some touchy scenes which could have seemed more dramatic if acting was good. All these could have given justice to the typical "reach for your dreams" theme of the movie, but they didn't.

There was also a very noticeable flaw during the last part of the film when Natalie decided to join the Pirates' performance on the World Jam Finals. She was wearing like a sports bra and training pants when she came up the stage to do the difficult routine she'd been practicing before she quit the team weeks before the finals. And then all of a sudden, she was wearing a Pirates' costume full of lights and rays onstage, which isn't realistic and believable. Anyway, it's fiction.

I had no high hopes for this film before watching it but I was really entertained by it. After all, it is a movie about dance. I do, however, felt that it gave justice to dance as something people want to do in life. The short film BFAB (Born From A Boombox) made by Luke gave all the reasons why dancing is a passion that moves lives. If you love dancing and music, this is a film worth watching. It'll make you feel good.

My rating: 60%