Honey,
Save The Last Dance and
Step Up to name but a few.
Most centre on one dancer trying to make it big - usually from the 'wrong side of the tracks' and having to do a dance slightly different to what they're used to, to earn that place at the prestigious dance school.
Step Up 2 The Streets, does fit the bill in some places, and is as formulaic as you would expect from a type of film such as this, but fails to meet the charm of its predecessor.
Click here to watch Step Up 2 - The Streets film trailerThere is no denying the dancing in this sequel is incredible, and you'll not want to take your eye off the screen for fear of missing a move, but the acting leaves a lot to be desired - and the plot is nothing short of amateur.
Whereas
Step Up had the highly likeable Channing Tatum as Tyler(who makes a brief, somewhat pointless cameo to tell us he is now something of a dancing star), this follow-up has less to offer in terms of script and likeability factor of the leading man Chase (Robert Hoffman).
The story centres around rebellious street dancer Andie(Briana Evigan), who lives with her mother's friend as her mother died some time ago (again - a running theme in dance films), who wants to dance with her 'crew', the 410, more than she wants to attend school or, well, do anything else.
But when she gets kicked out of her crew, she joins Chase - who just happens to be the hottest dancer at the school, and sets about finding the biggest bunch of misfits possible, so she can perform in the underground dance battle called The Streets.
Step Up 2 has none of the charm of the first movie, where we really cared about what happened to the leading pair.
Andie just isn't interested in winning a place at the dance school for the most part of the film, and is fixated on dancing in The Streets, which seems a much lesser dream than in Step Up where he's trying to get into the school.
The dancing throughout is incredible, from the opening scenes where the 410 are terrorising passengers on the Subway, right to the end when it all comes together at The Streets.
You will be dumbstruck and want to pull out your best dancing shoes as soon as it's over.
The plot seems to take a backseat to the dancing in this sequel, but nevertheless this is still a thoroughly enjoyable dance movie.
Click here for Step Up 2 - The Streets showtimes at Odeon Silverlink
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