Step Up Revolution

It has been 3 years since the last Step Up movie and almost 7 years since Channing Tatum made his name as an actor in the first installment of the franchise.Back then, it was a mixture of hiphop and dance that made this franchise a success coupled by really good dancers. Years later, the Step Up franchise is not showing signs of stopping, thus Revolution was released.

Set in Miami, Florida, Step Up Revolution begins with another story arc which has no connection with the previous films. This time, Miami is disturbed by a group of dancers that display their artistry in an unconventional manner - Flash Mob. Led by Sean, a waiter in a big hotel, The Mob displayed various methods of showing their prowess in dance as they try to win a competition that would grant them 100 grand just by the number of hits they get in Youtube. Everything is planned until the daughter of the hotel magnate became involve not only with the crew but with Sean as well.

When Step Up 3 was released, it sets the bar for the succeeding franchise. How could the next film top the previous one. While Step Up 3 boasts of extravagant production numbers involving laser lights, playful choreography, witty moves and a silly combination of classic dance routines, Step Up 4 managed to top its predecessor with purpose and laying off a little bit with the extravagance the 3rd movie had.

I adored how Step Up 3 was made. Step Up 4, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the additional depth to a plot that has been recycled for quite some time. The production value suffers a little bit when it comes to building excitement with the viewers but still acceptable. The mixture of interpretative and hiphop is quite cohesive in this film. One of my complaints of the films is they somehow trying to embrace the "Italian Job" feel and somehow it sways far from the concept.

Same settings, same plots, same shallow characters with a bit of a twist but with really great dance sequences. This is how I summarize the film. Step Up may still be a franchise that could last until the 4th movie. I wonder if there are anything left in their sleeves if they would want to come up for another installment.

GRADE: B-


trailer