Step Up 3D

Reason #63 people hate the Regal theatres in our area: With two locations, only one that can screen 3D movies and on only two theatres in that location, they make the conscious decision to play Step Up 3D (the first movie since Avatar to be filmed entirely in 3D) in the non 3D location. REALLY?!?

The third installment (obviously) of the franchise, like the previous two, did not focus on getting quality acting and didn’t care that that wasn’t in their requirements. They also did not seem to care much about writing a story… That would just insult our intelligence and make us seem ignorant for wanting more than just awesome dance scenes to escape from reality into. Success!

Kevin: Two of the three main guys had less on screen acting charisma than either of my cats.

Gina: The acting was pretty bad…

Kevin: Pretty bad? It was terrible!

Gina: But I know the actors were there for their dancing rather than acting ability.

You have to know that when purchasing your tickets to this film, you are actually signing a waiver that says you are fully aware that you want to see dancing on screen and not a thought out plotline. It did have a story of sorts that explained why these characters were in New York, why they were in a dance competition, and why there was some sort of rivalry between some people. It also tried (and failed) to include a love story subplot.

Gina: The story was so ten years ago; so predictable, so cheesy. It was as if the plotline was put in to fill the spots between dance scenes.

Kevin: That’s exactly why the story was there. As if we would be dumb enough to pay to see an hour and a half various dance scenes when we could just watch So You Think You Can Dance every week for free.

However, the dancing was really good, and there was a lot more than in the two previous films. Granted it was predominantly hip-hop (save for a really cool Fred Astaire style street dance shot in one long camera take), where as the first had a wider variety of dance styles. But in this day and age, movie sales have proven that hip-hop dance is what is enticing ticket sales for dance movies. And when screened in 3D, it is taking the standard dance movie to a whole new level.

Is it weird that with 3D becoming almost a standard in the movie going experience, the first movie to be filmed entirely in 3D is this? Yes. Because what movies such as Clash Of The Titans, The Last Airbender, and Alice In Wonderland have taught us is that to make a 3D movie worth seeing in 3D, you CAN NOT half ass it. Postproduction 3D is crap! We have had enough of it. Don’t let the industry force this standard on us if they are not going to put their full effort into it. There is no point to see a movie in 3D unless it was filmed in 3D… PERIOD.

Kevin: The 3D was the best I have seen since Avatar, though Chad would say since My Bloody Valentine, which had the only postproduction 3D worth seeing.

Gina: Even with the great dancing, I would have been bored without the 3D. Usually I forget about the 3D because I get used to it and it becomes normal, but this kept throwing in scenes throughout the movie to really let you know it was there.

Kevin: Like the bubbles, the water dance, and the floating slurpee mush, on top of the depth that comes from filming in 3D.

Gina: It wasn’t that great. Thank God I didn’t pay to see it in 2D!

Both of us give it an even 5 of 10 stars, and that is with the 3D. Imagine our rating if we saw the regular version.