Ela Dança, Eu Danço 4

Strength of will and right attitude are the main ingredients for getting what you want. It is not always about being in the right place at the right time. But also making sure those two will meet you half way.

"Step Up Revolution" has for once broken the stigma created by movies where every teenage- dancing character has one and only thing in their minds: fame and fortune. This time they go a bit deeper in search of something more than self assurance or rebel behaviour, trying to bring justice to their people instead of thinking the world revolves around them. The music is not so catchy but the well choreographed flash-mob style performances are quite interesting. It's a good entertainment for dance lovers or anyone in the mood for a good time.

When I stepped into the theater to see Step Up Revolution, I expected cutting-edge dance. I got it and maybe better than I expected with robust routines blending 3-D performance and modern art to tell a story that moves from public display to public mission.

"The Mob" is a flash mob secretly doing percussive urban choreography at different times in Miami to publish the dance on YouTube and win $100K for the most hits. The opening sequence using vintage low-riders in a traffic jam is spectacular, a muscular routine using very physical dance and very physical automobiles for an enjoyable fusion of art and pop culture.

Look, this is not Flashdance or Dirty Dancing, and Emily (Kathryn McCormick) is not Jennifer Beals, nor is Sean (Ryan Guzman) Patrick Swayze (or Channing Tatum from the first installment), but they are attractive performers given simple dialogue but dynamic modern film dancing that uses creative camera angles and minimal CGI to tell a pleasant formulaic story. In other words, I was entertained by the dancing and found the screenplay clichéd.

Emily's dad, Mr. Anderson (Peter Gallagher, the only true actor in the lot), plans to build a giant complex right in the hood of the dancers, a place romanticized for the purposes of the story but in reality a poor wharf community. The Mob, along with Emily, fights to preserve the area using flash mob to tell their story to the city to stop the construction. The set pieces are uniformly exciting and executed with such energy as to evoke the passions of youth and protest.

The story and the dialogue are pedestrian, but that dancing is so magnetic that I might go back and see the first three films in the series and maybe Footloose and maybe even West Side story and Strictly Ballroom.

If for nothing else, Step Up Revolution keeps alive the romantic dance movie genre with some steps even Fred Astaire wouldn't recognize. Now that's revolution.

Step Up Revolution is a must watch if you are street dancing fan. Dancing gets just better and political here! Tight moves, fancy footwork, blasting beats, spectacular group numbers n backdrop of glitzy Miami... There's no reason you won't enjoy this one. Oh yeah, someone knows how to take full advantage of 3D, from the opening scene to the end credits. Kudos to "The Mob" n entire crew. Must mention, the magic man in the background is our own Shaamak Davar. Overall, I would call it a triumph of sheer spectacle! Yes, my review doesn't go with the critics because what critics don't understand is, they don't make these things to win awards, they make them so we can have fun watching!

So sorry this is late, but let's face it there shouldn't be any mystery behind the Step Up genre. Over the last six years, these dance flicks have continued to pour out into the theaters and with today's modern television have been eaten up by the public. While the dancing has always been entertaining on various levels, the producers are still struggling to add diversity and that something new to keep the crowd interested. Unfortunately for the last two installments, that new edge is 3-D, which may have you wondering, "Is this really needed for a dance movie?" Well I'm back from a late showing to give you the scoop on Step Up Revolution and hopefully answer your questions of whether this sequel is worth a watch.

As many of you may have noticed, the Step Up series started out balanced in story, character development, and well choreographed dance moves. However, like so many modern movies these days the story is usually sacrificed for some other movie magic that usually is overused more than the send text command on a cellular phone. Yet to my surprise this movie managed to keep a slightly better balance than its previous two predecessors that will grab hold of other audience members. Now I'm not saying it's the best, but there is some character development and shallow love stories that will make Dirty Dancing fans pine over that classic romanticism. This doesn't mean it's like a dance version of Twilight, no instead it's presented more as a Romeo and Juliet theme where the girl and guys families don't see eye to eye. The lovers decided to hide their identities from their respective elders and instead of killing each other with swords, use their moves to help express the feelings and fight the bad guys. Despite the nice presentation though, the story is predictable as ever and there really is no surprise about what is going to happen to whom. I won't tell you any details, but let's face it in a movie like this you can pretty much guess the ending with little effort.

Of course if you're like most fans of this movie you care less about the story and character development. Instead the focus might shift to other aspects like dancing, music, and yes eye candy for both guys and girls. Well this movie is definitely all those characteristics wrapped in a colorful, techno/rap wrapper with lots of flashing lights. Fans of the previous installments will be impressed with the dance numbers this installment has. Most of the dances have one of the stars leading a well choreographed mob in movements that would give a Michael Jackson music video a run for its money. However, what impresses me are some of the sick stunts, the extras throw out in between that add that extra edge to the performance. While some of these moves are rather silly, i.e. a few guys looking like they are going through electroshock therapy, there are a few flips that will make you think, "Hey he's part Jedi." The break dancing is quite good and when intertwined with the various dance styles in this movie, one can't help but be impressed with the work and talent of these people. However don't jump the gun and think this movie is just a bunch of flips and protest art rebel gestures, no there is some poetic skills involved as well. As the love story develops, there are various scenes that show off the more graceful side of dancing, i.e. ballerina moves that are elegant and beautiful. Those who like this artistic style will again be impressed with the fluidity of the actresses involved, especially Kathryn McCormick, who continues to show us she can dance.

However what is dance without music and Step Up Revolution once again picks a soundtrack worthy of their moves. I haven't found out if these remixes are original or picked up from another D.J., but regardless they have been selected to help provide not only the beat for the dances, but also the emotion. The moment Penelope opens up the trunk and hits play, you start to get pulled into the song and feel the emotions of the setting. Although many of the songs have aggression and rage to their tones, there are a few that are softer and more trance like. I warn you that if you don't like Techno, Rap, or a combination of the two, you will definitely hate the music. The tracks are uncensored and full of cursing, slang, and sometimes loud yelling, which may distract you from the art of the editing.

Finally if you are one who is going for staring at beautiful women or handsome men, well again you've picked the right movie. Unlike some other recent movies, Step Up Revolution does a nice job showing off the bodies of the stars and helps get people howling without stepping over the line. Most of these people can dance and are okay actors, but they were also chosen to rope in a wider array of audience members. For me I cannot lie that McCormick is very cute, did a decent acting job, and impressed me with her moves. Even Ryan Guzman and Misha Gabriel Hamilton did a nice job with their roles, and didn't just flex their muscles and look sad for the women, as many modern guy stars tend to do. Girls don't worry though as there are plenty of shirt off moments to make you happy, and guys well there are plenty of bikini clad women to make you drool.

Overall Step Up Revolution may be one of the better movies of this series. With awesome moves, fitting soundtrack, and decent acting, it's definitely refreshing for the audience. However it is still a dance movie with a lot of skewing towards dancing and less to story, so don't expect masterpiece. Here are the scores: Drama/Music/Romance: 7.5-8.0 Movie Overall: 6.5

Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean, a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called "The Mob." When a wealthy business man threatens to develop The Mob's historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause. -- (C) Summit

As I was waiting in line to see this film, a boy (about 7) was with his mother. He explained to her about all the dancers that were in the previous STEP UP films and seemed to have an extensive and in-depth knowledge about these dancers that I could never compete with. I suppose that these films are geared toward people like the boy I overheard, those who surround themselves in an art form with many styles. I don't watch shows like SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, but there is something endearing about the STEP UP films (excluding the first) that separate themselves from other dance flicks. First and foremost, they don't take themselves seriously. Their predictable story lines are an excuse to showcase some mad dance moves that you'll never get to see in life. These films know that they aren't high art, so comparing them to something like THE GODFATHER is entirely missing the point.

However, like everything else, the STEP UP franchise will eventually lose its luster. This is the case with REVOLUTION, as with most franchises that suffer from sequelitis. REVOLUTION is entertaining for what it's worth, but it isn't as exciting to watch as the previous two entries. The film lacks the charm of its two predecessors, mostly due to the lack of the lovable Moose, who only appears in a short cameo. Regardless, the dancing sequences are top notch and filled with wonder and creativity. There's also an added twist concerning protest art which was interesting. One sequence, in particular, is sure to wow the audience, taking place in an art museum where the art literally comes to life. There's also the obligatory 10+ minute dance in the climax that is just as good. However, I must note that another "dance" sequence will likely disturb people, particularly because of the recent movie theater shooting in Colorado. It involves smoke grenades, people being covered in gas masks and armor, and gun shot sound effects. In and of itself, the scene is supposed to be alarming, but the added tragedy just makes it ill-timed.

Like STEP UP 3, the film takes full advantage of its 3D technology, from the opening scene to the end credits. There's a lot of gimmicky "pop out" moments but scenes with amazing depth as well. These films prove to be some of very few films that know how to use 3D well and makes one wonder if other filmmakers should have to learn from these guys. The story is also interesting as the film tackles on the current issue of the Occupy movement (done with flashmobs). Lastly, the actors can surely dance, but their performances are merely sufficient.

If you like the STEP UP films, there's no reason you won't enjoy this one. The dance sequences and 3D are great, but it's forgettable once the credits roll. Additionally, I hope the filmmakers stop the franchise at this one because it's starting to get stale and repetitive. On another note, I would like to indicate that director Scott Speer directed some episodes from the web series THE LEGION OF EXTRAORDINARY DANCERS (LXD), created by Jon Chu, which I highly recommend to watch as it provides a great alternative to your usual dance flicks (think THE AVENGERS but with dancing). It's not as bad as it sounds. Trust me.