“Step Up 3D” features stunning photography, dazzling choreography and a plot with two left feet

Jim Hill

14 years ago

Given that I'm a 51 year-old white guy who lives in the
woods of New Hampshire, I'm guessing that I'm not really the target audience
for "Step Up 3D."

So when I found myself at a press screening for this new Jon Chu film earlier this week, I have to admit that there was a period of
adjustment. It took me a while before I could then buy into this hip-hop fairy
tale.

Daniel "Cloud" Campos (center) in Touchstone Pictures and Summit Entertainment's
"Step Up 3D." Photo by K.C. Bailey. Copyright 2010 Summit Entertainment, LLC.
All rights reserved

Case in point: In "Step Up 3D" 's opening sequence, when
Moose (Adam Sevani) suddenly ditches his NYU orientation so that he could
then go dance-battle Kid Darkness (Daniel "Cloud" Campos) in Washington Square
Park … To be honest, my initial thoughts were: "This kid is skipping
orientation? But how will he find the engineering lab now? More to the point, does
Moose know how much tuition to New York University costs? My God, his poor parents!"

Speaking of which: Moose's poor parents are played (albeit briefly) by Kathy Najimy
and Frank Moran. These talented performers are only in "Step Up 3D" long enough
for Moose's Dad to say: "I'm just glad that you finally gave up on all that
silly dance stuff." Which – of course –
is then Moose's cue to try and become the first NYU student to ever double-major
in Engineering and Dance.

(L to R from center back) Martin Lombard and Facundo Lombard, Oren "Flearock"
Michaeli, Kendra Andrews and Keith Stallworth. Photo by K.C. Bailey.
Copyright 2010 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved

I'm serious. That's actually part of the happy ending that
Touchstone Pictures and Summit Entertainment slapped together for the first ever
dance drama to be shot and then released in digital 3D.

Okay. I know. I just kind of spoiled part of the plot for "Step
Up 3D." And given how little plot there is in this motion picture, that's kind
of a rotten thing to do.

(L to R) Adam Sevani, Kendra Andrews, Sharni Vinson, Tamara Levinson and Ashlee Nino.
Photo by K.C. Bailey. Copyright 200 Summit Entertainment, LCC. All rights reserved

So let me now talk about what's good about this digital 3D
release. And that's the dancing. There are six major dance numbers in "Step Up
3D." And each of these sequences feature dazzling choreography which is then
performed by a truly talented and attractive young troupe of dancers. And then when you factor in the 3D aspect of
this film … Well, at several points during "Step Up 3D," there are literally
dancers flying off the screen at you.

But the very best number in this movie (for me, anyway) was
both its simplest as well as its most complex. It featured Sevani and "Camp
Rock" vet Alyson Stoner dancing (in one continuous shot, mind you) through the
streets of NYC to a remix of Fred Astaire's version of "I Won't Dance." And this
routine (which referenced several classic MGM musicals like "It's Always Fair Weather") is so well choreographed / cleverly shot that you're both charmed
& dazzled as you watch this number.

Adam Sevani and Alyson Stoner. Photo by K.C. Bailey
Copyright 2010 Summit Entertainment, LCC.
All rights reserved

And then there's the city of New York itself. Which looks truly
terrific in digital 3D. Ken Seng (i.e. "Step Up 3D" 's director of photography)
must really be a fan of NYC. For Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Coney
Island, Chinatown and the Financial District have never looked better / been more
atmospheric.

Look. Let's cut to the chase here: The first two films in this series (i.e. 2006's
"Step Up
" and 200's "Step Up 2 The Streets") weren't exactly "Inception." And
when you go to the movies in August … Let's be honest here: Aren't you looking for a little brainless escapism?
Or – at the very least – some air conditioning?

So my advice is – if you're seriously thinking about buying
a ticket to "Step Up 3D" – just switch off your brain as you walk into that
multiplex. Otherwise you're going to find yourself guessing this dance drama's central
plot twist about a half hour into the picture.

No, just sit there in the dark with your popcorn & soda and
then enjoy watching these incredibly talented & attractive dancers perform
in 3D. That's what the audience I saw "Step Up 3D" with on Tuesday night did.
Sure, they hooted & hollered at the corny parts. Not to mention yelling at
the screen whenever this motion picture's plot got more than a little obvious.

But in the end, Tuesday night's audience did have a good
time. And given that Moose did eventually figure out how to both go to NYU as
well as be a member of the House of Pirates dance crew … Well, that then meant
that he wasn't actually wasting all of that money that his parents had paid out
for tuition. Which – as the father of a soon-to-be-headed-to-college art student
— made me happy for some reason.

But like I said … I'm probably not the target audience that
the filmmakers had in mind when they were making "Step Up 3D." So your mileage
may vary when you finally get around to watching this new Touchstone Pictures
and Summit Entertainment release.

So – just to recap here: Go into this film expecting to to be stunned by the photography & dazzled by the choreography and then
ignore "Step Up 3D" 's overly-obvious plot. Which really does have two left
feet.

Your thoughts?