Review of Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) by Jérôme M — 12 Sep 2010
My my, how time flies?another month, another dancer-from-the-streets movie. Goody goody. It seems just like yesterday when this reviewer tapped his toes to the beat of that surprise hit Center Stage?and Save the Last Dance?and Take the Lead?and Stomp the Yard?and, yes, Step Up. This said, it would take quite a molehill from which to build a mountain of entertainment out of an idea so tarnished that it could be hawked on Antiques Roadshow as a Baby Huey spoon. And you can roll your tongues back into your mouths, dear readers?there is no mountain of entertainment here. But it may surprise John Q. Moviegoer to find that aforementioned molehill. Somehow, some way, this movie-though far from airtight-has a slight feel of freshness to it?slight.
In this PG-13-rated sequel to the 2005 dance drama, a rebellious street dancer (Evigan) finds herself torn between fitting in at an elite dance school and keeping it real in her old neighborhood, yo.
And oh yeah, the story is so locked on autopilot that even a Baby Huey spoon could connect the dots. Evigan, however, makes a beguiling lead. And, in a brief appearance at the outset, Channing Tatum convincingly ties this follow-up to its forebear. True, there are dance-offs galore, star-crossed lovers, and blah, blah, blah. But if the audience did not know this going in, there are far worse problems on the homefront. The days of Fame are long gone, yes, but the producers deserve credit for utilizing a new coat of paint to a somewhat satisfying end.
Bottom line: Step lightly.
This review of Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) was written by Jérôme M on 12 Sep 2010.
Step Up 2: The Streets has generally received positive reviews.
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