Step Up: Miami Heat
- Year:2012
- Rating:PG
- Director:Scott Speer
- Cast:Stephen Boss, Cleopatra Coleman
- Release Date:August 02, 2012
- Distributor:Universal
- Running time:120 minutes
- Film Worth:$8.50
- FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
As expected, this excels during the impressive dance sequences, but leaves a lot to be desired on just about every other level.
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You thought that the Step Up series had covered all the bases? Really? Well, what about taking on evil property investors? Aspiring dancer, Emily (Kathryn McCormick), arrives in Miami hoping to get into an elite dance school, against the wishes of her property development father (Peter Gallagher). She meets Sean (Ryan Guzman), a dancer who is part of "The Mob" - a group which takes part in elaborate dances in public arenas. When the neighbourhood is threatened by property development, The Mob change their style from performance art to protest art to get their point across.
The narrative brings no surprises. Boy meets girl, boy really likes girl, there is a crisis, the boy and girl are torn apart, but the boy does what he needs to in order to get back into the girl's life. They live happily ever after. Don't forget the obligatory dance routine in between every scene.
The fourth instalment in the Step Up chain looks stunning. From the outset, it's all about visuals and not much else. The majority of the cast are dancers, not actors, so it's no surprise that their performances leave a lot to be desired. But when they dance, they impress, and the 3-D experience almost makes the routines interactive. The film's biggest surprise is Peter Gallagher, wholly different here from the Sandy Cohen that we know and love. Prepared to displace an entire community in order to construct "the greatest hotel that Miami has ever seen", you won't be caught off guard when The Mob's persuasive performance art slowly spikes his conscience. Is the plot predictable and clichéd? Obviously. Is anyone really going to see this film for the story? Probably not. You'll leave the cinema feeling slightly energised, but that's about it.
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