MyRating: YYYYDirector: Jon Chu
Cast: Rick Malambri, Sharni Vinson, Adam G. Sevani, Alyson Stoner, Joe Slaughter, Keith Stallworth, Stephen Boss, MartÃn Lombard, Facundo Lombard, Oren Michaeli, Kendra Andrews
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
A group of young New York City underground street dancers named themselves House of Pirates, led by Luke (Malambri), faces tough times when their practice dance club in an old warehouse is put up for auction due to their overdue rents. The only way to keep their place is to win big money by competing in the World Jam dance contest, a high-stakes showdown competition followed by the world's best hip hop dancers, including their vicious rival, House of Samurai. While preparing his dance crew, Luke accidentally finds an incredible dancing talent from a first year electrical engineering graduate student named Moose (Sevani), who was born to dance. The only person who seems to understand how Moose loves to dance more than anything else in his life is Camille (Stoner), Moose's long time best friend, whom he secretly loves. Luke also meets another person who shares the same passion about dancing, a girl named Natalie (Vinson), whom he later falls in love. And they all team up together to rock the dance competition, the event so big that will change their lives forever. It's all about loves, friendships, and dancing!
I never know watching a dance movie could be so much fun until I watched the Step Up movies. I liked the first Step Up (2006) and Step Up 2: The Street (2008) for a very simple reason, they were fun. And this third installment of the franchise was a joyride and awesomely-fun. I never know how they will make 3D out of a dancing movie. A 3D dancing movie? Come'on! But they did it. And they did it seriously as they shot the film in real 3D cameras. And the result is a terrific eye-popping 3D experience.
Even though the plot is as thin as paper and the actings were just average, but it did not reduce the excitement of watching this movie, because the dances were just so good, that made the movie to become so enjoyable. It was a showcase of intense top-notch 5 stars dances with great and innovative choreographies. The dances will hook you again and again, never let you loose until the end of the movie. I even found myself tapping my feet and moving my head and shoulders, while watching the dances and enjoying the exciting soundtracks.
There were many amazing dancing moments in the movie. The energetic group dances in the competition were definitely the ones. All the actors, who mostly are real dancers, were really outstanding in showing their dancing capabilities. You will see all kind of hip-hop moves, from breakdancing with head spinning on the floor, crazily body popping, upto roboting moves. But the most outstanding performance was from one of the main characters, Adam G. Sevani, who played as Moose. At a glance, he looks like the geek type of guy, but you won't believe when you see him dance. He really shines and has many magical moments, including when he danced in the street with Alyson Stoner, to imitate Gene Kelly's memorable dance in his classic movie Singin' in the Rain. The most mindblowing one was when Moose splashing his moves on the stage flooded with water, following by other dancers. That was just brilliant! And the closing unison dance of the House of Pirates with LED lit costumes was a total knockdown. And to watch all these in 3D gave me a total thrill and satisfaction, that I never thought a dance movie could provide.
I was not interested to watch the original Step Up movie at all the first time it was released, because dancing movie was just not really my cup of tea. And I remember watching that movie only after a couple of years later. So, I never planned to like these movies. But I found myself to love them anyway. In my opinion, a good movie should not be narrowed into only an Oscar-like movie. I love Oscar-winning movies, as most of them were extremely good movies and the best movies ever made, and I enjoyed watching them very much. But there are also movies that you should not feel ashamed if you happened to like and cherish them. A good movie is good when you think it's good from your heart. I will even consider a fun movie as a good movie. Don't get me wrong! I will never consider a bad movie as a fun movie, as bad movies usually never entertain me. Not in my dictionary.
For me, Step Up 3D was an extremely fun movie, especially if you watch it in 3D. If you are a hater of this movie, then I will ask you one question. Have you watched it yourself? If yes, and you still hated it, then it's fine. That means this movie was indeed not your cup of tea. Liking a movie is about 'taste' anyway, not everybody will like and share the same opinion about a movie. But if you have not seen this movie (not the first nor the second one) and you slam it! Just because this movie is easy to be slammed. Then I suggest you to go see this movie. There is no point to judge a movie that we have not yet seen. And it is not a crime to sometimes let down our pride and like a movie that we feel too proud to like, as there are always people who tried too hard to be considered as a sophisticated movie-goer. I guarantee you, it will be a fun two-hours of your time at the theater. And it will be good for your health. Dancing did. Next time, I will cherich with you regarding an Oscar-winning movie. For now, enjoy the dances, as that was the reason this movie was made. (MJ)
Soundtracks from STEP UP 3D: (To not exit this page - open the songs in new windows with right click)
- Lauren Evans - Dream Awake
- Laza Morgan - This Girl
- Trey Songz - Already
- Benny Benassi Feat Channing - Come
- Flo Rida Feat Nelly Furtado - Jump
