Filled with campy dialogue, a generic story that is brewing over with countless cliches, and forgettable characters, conflict, and resolution, Step Up Revolution is a mess from start to finish. Fortunately it excels in the only field that matters: dance.
To get you caught up on everything that doesn't matter, I'll tell you that the story revolves around a young waiter who meets a developer's daughter. They both happen to dance and ultimately decide to use their killer good looks and slick moves to revolt against a new high-end hotel development deal. Sounds awesome, right? Thought so.
From the very beginning, director Scott Speer sets the tone by opening the film with a fun and high energy dance number that introduces us to "The Mob", a group of unique dancers who take to public places to showcase their talents. Sure, the scene was a bit too bright, making me feel as if I were witnessing a scene out of the SIMS computer game, but as for the movies, it was pretty cool to watch.
Slow dances, fast dances, group dances, and solo dances quickly become the leading characters, more than overpowering the actual acting talents of either Ryan Guzman or Kathryn McCormick. But again, I must stress to you, Step Up Revolution is all about the dances, not the characters that perform them.
The highlight of the film comes when the group performs a protest during a city council meeting. The mass number of dancers involved, along with the stylish choreography, is impressive enough, but, add in the screen capture by director Scott Speer, and you are really in for a treat.
The conflicts come up quickly, and their resolutions are never too far behind. The actors appear out of place when removed from the dance floor, showcasing their inexperience like a badge of honor as they deliver their lines without much conviction. Usually they'd be burned for such a performance, but at the end of the day they weren't hired for their acting, and we won't go see the movie for of it either.
