If you enjoy formulaic teenage dance films, whereby pretty people with tight abs, who are cooler than you, bump and grind all night, to music by people who are also cooler than you, then director Jon Chu (Step Up 2: The Streets, When the Kids Are Away) has come up trumps.
Held together by amateur film-maker and self-sacrificing leader, Luke (Rick Malambri), a New York dance crew, the Pirates, compete in dance-offs to secure much needed funding for their not so humble abode-come-dance club. Unsurprisingly, a richer, meaner dance-crew is there to try and thwart this plan. Along the way, the Pirates recruit seemingly indispensible new members, Natalie (Sharni Vinson), an enchanting dancer who quickly becomes the apple of Luke’s eye, and Moose (Adam G. Sevani), an amiable, charismatic NYU freshman, who’s got the moves but struggles to balance his membership with the crew and his university life.
Moose provides some charisma amongst rather forced and unsophisticated characters. Along with his best friend Camille (Alyson Stoner), he provides an unexpected and enjoyably light-hearted dance sequence through the streets; an affectionate channelling of classic Broadway films. Most of the minor characters personify the films unapologetic utilisation of numerous clichés and stereotypes, leading to a number of vacuous, predictable storylines, with a thin-veneer of character development and cringe-worthy one-liners. Representations of race within the film lead to numerous “facepalm” moments. The highly multicultural dance-crew includes the “gangsta” black guys, overzealous Hispanics and a naive Asian woman, who rely on the direction and support of the wise white leader. Oh dear.
If you are forgiving of these issues, the 3D dance film lives up to expectations. It has impressive dance sequences throughout, which are purposefully and cleverly accentuated by the somewhat dizzying 3D experience. While entire scenes are blatantly included to flaunt the technology, the extra dimension undeniably enhances the visual depth of the dance battles, particularly the close-ups where the performers appear ominous and “all up in my grill”. This mainstream film incorporates underground and alternative lifestyles and pastimes — including graffiti art and parkour — in further tickling the fancy of the target teen audience who can relish and enjoy the thought of this curiously parentless setting.
Whilst the film attempts to advocate the organic and liberating tenets of dance, it contradicts this message though consumerism and unashamed product placement. One might question why director Chu did not ditch the script and simply utilise the talented dancers to create an extravagant joint advertisement for Nike, Sony and Sprite. Had the characters spent less on LED lights, lasers and matching costumes, perhaps they could simply pay for their living quarters with good old-fashioned savings like the rest of us.
But where would be the fun in that?
Verdict:
Although I’m new to the Step Up franchise, I doubt this third instalment will disappoint fans of the genre as you get exactly what you pay for. However, as a standalone film, Step Up 3D makes a spectacular advertisement.
