Step Up 4: Miami Heat (Step Up Revolution) (2012)

December 5, 2012September 29, 2016 Dave Adam Sevani, Amanda Brody, Brandy Lamkin, Chadd Smith, Claudio Pinto, Cleopatra Coleman, Danielle Dominguez, Dominique Bell, Duane Adler, Emiliano Diez, Kathryn McCormick, Kevin A. Walton, Kevin Anthony, Mari Koda, Mario Ernesto Sanchez, Megan Boone, Mia Michaels, Michael 'Xeno' Langebeck, Misha Gabriel, Misha Gabriel Hamilton, Peter Gallagher, Ryan Guzman, Scott Speer, Step Up 4: Miami Heat, Step Up 4: Miami Heat Review, Stephen Boss, Steve Zurk, Tangi Colombel, Tommy Dewey

Summary: STEP UP 4 is the next installment in the worldwide smash Step Up franchise, which sets the dancing against the vibrant backdrop of Miami. Emily, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer, but soon falls in love with Sean, a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs. The crew, called the MOB, strives to win a contest for a major sponsorship opportunity, but soon Emilys father threatens to develop the MOBs historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people. Emily must band together with Sean and the MOB to turn their performance mobs into protest mobs, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause.

Year: 2012

Australian Cinema Release Date: 2nd August, 2012

Australian DVD Release Date: 5th December, 2012

Country: United States

Director: Scott Speer

Screenwriter: Duane Adler (characters), Amanda Brody

Cast: Kevin Anthony (Bob Cooper), Dominique Bell (Sarah), Megan Boone (Claire), Stephen Boss (Jason), Cleopatra Coleman (Penelope), Tangi Colombel (Tommy), Tommy Dewey (Trip), Emiliano Diez (Mayor Fernandez), Danielle Dominguez (Vera), Misha Gabriel (Eddy), Peter Gallagher (Mr. Anderson), Ryan Guzman (Sean), Misha Gabriel Hamilton (Eddy), Mari Koda (Jenny Kido), Brandy Lamkin (Brittany), Michael ‘Xeno’ Langebeck (Mercury), Kathryn McCormick (Emily), Mia Michaels (Olivia), Claudio Pinto (Francisco), Mario Ernesto Sanchez (Ricky), Adam Sevani (Moose), Chadd Smith (Vladd), Kevin A. Walton (Bob Cooper), Steve Zurk (Councilman Casey)

Runtime: 99 mins

Classification:PG

Dave Griffiths’s ‘Step Up 4: Miami Heat’ Review:

Thank goodness, finally a breath of fresh air in the Dance Film world. Somebody finally listened to the criticism and as a result Step Up 4: Miami Heat has a storyline that isn’t an exact mirror image of every other Step Up or Streetdance movie made. And because of this you actually have a pretty good dance film at hand.

Set in Miami Step Up 4: Miami Heat follows close buddies Sean (Ryan Guzman – newcomer) and Eddy (Misha Gabriel Hamilton – Centre Stage: Turn It Up, Clerks II ) who have formed a Dance Group known as The Mob. Currently The Mob is taking part in a competition on YouTube which will see them net some cash if they can land ten million viewers.

In a bid to do so The Mob have been conducting a stream of public flash dances that now have the authorities on their scent. Then along comes Emily Anderson (Kathryn McCormick – Fame, TV’S Chasing 8’s) who instantly takes Sean’s breath away.

While things look rosy for the new couple things, but then Emily’s father (Pete Gallagher – TV’S Covert Affairs & Whitney) announces that his property development company will be demolishing the neighborhood that The Mob calls home.

Screenwriter Amanda Brody (newcomer) does deserve credit for being a little adventurous with the storyline but does still need a massive rap of the knuckles due to the fact that while the characters in the film use up a lot of time fighting against commercialism they agree to something at the end of the film that you feel people with such morals would say ‘no’… as a result the film finishes on a bit of a downer and you are left wondering just how much Brody actually knows about characterization.

But what makes Step Up 4: Miami Heat work so well is the work of director, Scott Speer (The LXD: The Secrets Of The Ra, There’s Something About Ashley: The Story Of Headstrong) who captures Miami and the dancing with so unique camera angels that do actually bring real style to the film and make it a joy to watch. A great soundtrack also helps out in that department as well.

Even the acting in Step Up 4: Miami Heat seems better than in the last films. Misha Gabriel Hamilton and Ryan Guzman do good jobs as leading men and while Kathryn McCormick does have a couple of weak moments she does remarkably well for someone who is a dancer and not an actor.

This fourth installment in the Step Up series of films is by far one of the better ones, at least this time you can’t always predict what is going to happen next.

Other Subculture Media Reviews of ‘Step Up 4: Miami Heat’: http://www.helium.com/items/2355536-movie-reviews-step-up-4-miami-heat

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

IMDB Rating: