CINEMA: Step Up 2 The Streets

Another film populated by unknowns and with a simple plot – a love story wrapped up by loads of hi-tempo dance scenes.

Films like this have been around for years – Save the Last Dance, Bring It On, the first Step Up – but they have always been middle of the road; to be forgotten once the credits roll. Step Up 2 The Streets is no such picture – believe it or not, it turned out to undoubtedly be the most entertaining and uplifting title of the year.

The basic premise of the movie involves a blossoming romance between Andie and Chase, two students at the Maryland School of Arts who form an in-school posse to take on the Street Dancing forces of Maryland. The plot and acting in this movie are distinctly average, in fact you can rarely identify with the characters at all. Main character Andie (Briana Evigan) is working to save herself from being sent to her Auntie’s in Texas, while love interest Chase (Robert Hoffman), is tired of living in his elder brother’s shadow. You won’t care or empathise at all, but that just doesn’t matter one bit.

What Step Up 2 The Streets does is entertain. Dance scenes are so frequent that the film never stands still. The quality of the dancing and choreography more than make up for the shabby storyline, leaving the viewer almost envious of the talent on show. This is all sealed quite beautifully at the culmination, outside on the streets.

Go and see for it yourself, you will not be disappointed.     Paul Alexander