Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean, a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called "The Mob." When a wealthy business man threatens to develop The Mob's historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause. -- (C) Summit
As I was waiting in line to see this film, a boy (about 7) was with his mother. He explained to her about all the dancers that were in the previous STEP UP films and seemed to have an extensive and in-depth knowledge about these dancers that I could never compete with. I suppose that these films are geared toward people like the boy I overheard, those who surround themselves in an art form with many styles. I don't watch shows like SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, but there is something endearing about the STEP UP films (excluding the first) that separate themselves from other dance flicks. First and foremost, they don't take themselves seriously. Their predictable story lines are an excuse to showcase some mad dance moves that you'll never get to see in life. These films know that they aren't high art, so comparing them to something like THE GODFATHER is entirely missing the point.
However, like everything else, the STEP UP franchise will eventually lose its luster. This is the case with REVOLUTION, as with most franchises that suffer from sequelitis. REVOLUTION is entertaining for what it's worth, but it isn't as exciting to watch as the previous two entries. The film lacks the charm of its two predecessors, mostly due to the lack of the lovable Moose, who only appears in a short cameo. Regardless, the dancing sequences are top notch and filled with wonder and creativity. There's also an added twist concerning protest art which was interesting. One sequence, in particular, is sure to wow the audience, taking place in an art museum where the art literally comes to life. There's also the obligatory 10+ minute dance in the climax that is just as good. However, I must note that another "dance" sequence will likely disturb people, particularly because of the recent movie theater shooting in Colorado. It involves smoke grenades, people being covered in gas masks and armor, and gun shot sound effects. In and of itself, the scene is supposed to be alarming, but the added tragedy just makes it ill-timed.
Like STEP UP 3, the film takes full advantage of its 3D technology, from the opening scene to the end credits. There's a lot of gimmicky "pop out" moments but scenes with amazing depth as well. These films prove to be some of very few films that know how to use 3D well and makes one wonder if other filmmakers should have to learn from these guys. The story is also interesting as the film tackles on the current issue of the Occupy movement (done with flashmobs). Lastly, the actors can surely dance, but their performances are merely sufficient.
If you like the STEP UP films, there's no reason you won't enjoy this one. The dance sequences and 3D are great, but it's forgettable once the credits roll. Additionally, I hope the filmmakers stop the franchise at this one because it's starting to get stale and repetitive. On another note, I would like to indicate that director Scott Speer directed some episodes from the web series THE LEGION OF EXTRAORDINARY DANCERS (LXD), created by Jon Chu, which I highly recommend to watch as it provides a great alternative to your usual dance flicks (think THE AVENGERS but with dancing). It's not as bad as it sounds. Trust me.
