STREETDANCE 2 - A Huge Letdown

STREETDANCE 2 (dance drama in 3D)
Cast: Falk Hentschel, George Sampson, Sofia Boutella, Stephanie Nguyen, Samuel Revell and Tom Conti
Directors: Dania Pasquini and Max Giwa
Screenplay: Jane English
Time: 85 mins
Rating:  *  1/2  (out of 4)

Sofia Boutella and Falk Hentschel as Eva and Ash

PREAMBLE: It is a given that dance movies have a very rigid formula and are awfully predictable. Most of their followers, especially the hip-hop fans, are mainly interested in the new moves that the films serve up. However, those interested in the cool moves in Streetdance 2 would have to wait for a long time before getting to the final showdown. In the meantime, they have to suffer lame dialogue, amateurish acting and a childish and cliched plot.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? After being humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew 'Invincible', street dancer Ash (Falk Hentschel) teams up with Eddie (George Sampson of TV's Britain's Got Talent) to gather the best dancers from Europe to take them on at the world championship in Paris. While planning his strategy, Ash encounters salsa dancer Eva (Nike ad star Sofia Boutella) at a club run by her uncle (Tom Conti) and he decides to mix Latin and hip-hop into their routine.

Of course, you can expect Ash and Eva to fall in love - plus all sort of predictable 'twists' just so that the plot stretches to a respectable 85 minute show.

HITS & MISSES: There are very few 'hits' to speak of here. Except for Tom Conti, who looks terribly lost speaking with a weird accent, there are no cast member with any acting skills. The performances are rather cringe-worthy as they mostly have to smirk or pout for the camera. They suck when they are not dancing. The script looks like a rehash of the old Streetdance/Breakdance/Step Up plots - and the two directors of this movie do not even bother to inject any original idea into it.

For example, they have Ash's crew engage in a pillow fight just to provide some distraction in between scenes; the romance between Eva and Ash looks phoney with Conti helping to shore up our sympathy for them. Boutella (above) shows promise as the level-headed Eva but she is grossly shackled by an atrocious script.   

THE LOWDOWN: The trailer can be impressive but the movie sucks big time.