Step Up Review
By Natalie

Similar to 2001’s Save The Last Dance and Honey, Step Up is another dancing movie with its own drama. I haven’t watched Honey yet, but I personally thought that Step Up trumps Save The Last Dance. I read many good reviews of Save The Last Dance and was immensely disappointed when I watched it because it was extremely boring with hardly any dancing at all. Step Up on the other hand, is full to the brim with energy, sassiness and dance.

The story starts with Tyler Gage (She’s The Man’s Channing Tatum), a rebel from the wrong side of the tracks breaking into an arts school. When he covers up for his two friends’ crimes, he ends up doing community service at the same school which he wrecked, the Maryland School of the Arts, he meets Nora (Jenna Dewan), a privileged and brilliant ballet dancer. When Nora’s partner for her senior showcase gets injured, she desperately needs a new partner and when Tyler’s skills as a gifted street dancer come to her attention, she ends up taking him as her partner.

Sparks fly between Tyler and Nora, on and off-stage, and soon Tyler comes to realise he has only one shot at changing his life for the better.

The dancing, energy and rhythm in this film is infectious. I couldn’t stop bopping to the beat in the cinema! Both Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan boast their own brand of charm and charisma, which makes the dancing even more energetic and brightens up the screen. I’m not saying that their acting is the best, but they certainly can both act and dance and there’s a natural quality in both actors that is very appealing.

Unlike Save The Last Dance, there are no body doubles in Step Up and both Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan do their own dancing (Jenna Dewan is trained dancer). The choreography is cleverly suited for the abilities of each of the two leads.

The showcase at the end is breathtaking and exhilarating, with addictive music conducted by Miles (R&B recording artist Mario), who actually, as a singer by nature, does a great job on the supporting cast. So does Drew Sidora, who plays Lucy, his love interest and Nora’s best friend.

First-time director and choreographer Anne Fletcher does a great job on her first film, serving up a crowd-pleasing, teen-skewering fare. On a few occasions, she cleverly devises similarly framed but starkly contrasting scenes to emphasize the difference between the worlds in which Tyler and Nora live.

When the main characters take to the dance floor, the choreography and driving rhythms of the music take center stage and keep our attention from lingering on the film's flaws. We hardly mind that the story is predictable and the outcome certain. This time, we don't mind knowing the destination ahead of time because the journey itself is enjoyable. A great dancing movie, and definitely worth the money!

October's Review

Step up if a wonderful dance movie that will make you cry,laugh,and bring a smile on your fac when you get out of seeing the movie it feels like you were in the movie you just wanna dance the soundtrack makes the movie even better its all in the music ! Go see step up its enjoyable and one of the best movies of the year its worth going to the movies!

I loved this movie! I was hooked and it kept my attention! - Veronica Tatum

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