Battle of the Year - La vittoria è in ballo

I have never been happy to see a movie flop than I am at this one. This movie is the hugest pile of garbage I ever witnessed -- and I sat through Chernobyl Diaries. Don't waste your time watching this crap, let alone your money.

I watched some of it online for the dancing but even that was trash. The acting is poor. Chris Brown and everyone else try so hard to be the "cool guy" or "sensitive jock" archetype, but, instead they look like a bunch of amateurs that turned an already bad script into just another teen drama bullshit story with 90s music, shaky cameras, and scenes that have no substance but push the plot forward. Not to mention the fact that dance movies weren't really ever good, but have been increasingly bad starting from You Got Served. Don't bother with this (not like I expect anyone to, anyway). Hopefully Chris brown will learn from this and stick to was he's known for; making music and beating women...better yet, hopefully he'll decide to leave fame all together. 1/10

I honestly don't understand all what movie people were watching that gave this such low reviews. I saw the previews and said I wasn't even going to bother watching. My daughter (9) however is really into dancing and for movie night I picked this. The movie stars off poorly with music that doesn't really fit, but about 25mins in I started to enjoy it. Now that sounds worst than it really is because it's not that nothing is happening for 25mins, but I just expected more battle scenes in the beginning. Anyhow I don't want to spoil the movie. If you are a fan of breaking in anyway you WILL enjoy this movie. If you're looking for a cinematic experience well please go watch something that aims to captivate you with the filming process. This is a B-Boy movie and delivers moves that many people have never seen, and for that it at least deserves credit for bringing something new to the dance movie genre.

I have a belief that every movie should be watched at least once. After seeing some reviews throughout multiple sites that this movie was not that great, and just gave terrible reviews I went out and rented from Redbox to see. I was at the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happen next. Enjoyed the story, enjoyed the cast. It wasn't your typical dance movie, "You got serve" or "Step up" it took what was there and expanded with an additional idea, let's make a new Dream Crew with the best of the best. This movie deserves to be watched and given the chance.

On a side not, some reviews complained about Chris Brown and his acting in this movie, well he did that in this movie by acting. If his personal character is to be attack, I believe that that is a different review, the overall moral of a lot of people that get TV time should be in check. I don't know Chris Brown personally but he is a persona, a entertainer and everything that he is paid to do is that.

Just give it a chance and make your own opinion

Thanks

This is my first review to IMDb, all the time I had thought that my first one would be about whether an amazing movie or the worst. And beyond any doubt, this is one of the worsts I've ever watched. I've been waiting for a long time to watch this movie and still can't believe it was such a terrible movie. I am as sick as a parrot. It was waste of time, literally it was. I wanted to watch this movie especially for Josh Holloway but even he has no special acting. There is nothing special about this movie at all, may be except the results of the competition but it was not enough. Acting was not good, dancing was bad and the music was not good too.

It was completely a disappointment for me. I gave 3 points, just because I thought that at least I watched it from the beginning to the end. I try not to see the glass as half empty.

To sum up, if you really don't want to waste your time, don't watch this movie guys.

The producer Dante Graham (Laz Alonso) promotes a group of b-boys expecting to bring the Battle of the Year Trophy back to the USA that have not won it in fifteen years. He hires his friend and former basketball couch Jason Blake (Josh Holloway) that grieves the loss of his wife and son to prepare his team. Blake fires the whole team since they do not have motivation and decides to select a new group of dancers under the nickname of Dream Team. He also hires the youngster Franklyn (Josh Peck) and the choreographer of break-dance Stacy (Lotz Caity) to help him. Along the months, Blake tries to implement teamwork and works hard with the group. In the competition in France, he has a great surprise.

"Battle of the Year" is a disappointing and predictable collection of clichés. It is amazing how many times this storyline has been used in different environments and sports ("decadent couch hires a team of losers that in the end surprises in a competition") with a corny message in the end. Fans of break-dance and hip-hop may enjoy a little more but this movie is terrible. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "A Batalha do Ano" ("Battle of the Year")