Step Up 3D

 

Step Up 3 is another dance film in a long line of films that tackle the same subject but with different actors and they increasingly get worse and worse. Like most films there's a formula and this one is no different. We have the love story that has problems and a bitter rivalry between two dance troupes. The plot is thin but its to be expected of this kind of film and you have to go in to it thinking that it's not going to be an artistic masterpiece so that you aren't disappointed.

Step Up 3 follows from the first two films with Moose as the only connection to the previous film and Camille from the first film (although I don't remember them). At least Moose can dance. Luke who leads the group, the pirates, cannot dance to really save himself. At the finale he's picked up enough to get away with it but his dance skills are not why he's in this film. He's there for the eye candy so he can take his shirt off instead of Moose, thankfully, and to drive home the message of following your dreams. I found it ridiculous to have a dance film with someone who couldn't dance, in fact most of the dancing I found was a bit lackluster, excepting Harry Shum Jr. (Mike from Glee) who shined in the background at the end of the film and the guy who does the robot dance. 

As a dancer myself I may be over critical and I'll admit that up front. The performances may have been entertaining for an audience member who has no dance experience and who is easily distracted by shiny lights and special effects. Which brings me to my final point and the use of 3D. Now I watched the film in 2D but could tell when things were suppose to be in 3D, when for instance it would be "cool" to see a leg come out of screen towards you. The problem with it being shot in 3D is that is was shot for 3D, which would seem a little nonsensical. It would be better that a 3D film is shot in the 3D format in the first place instead of trying to convert it after the fact. The problem with the dance film is that it detracts from the dance performance and its harder to see the full performance. Because the camera is so close to the body the movement of the dance is lost for the 3D effect which doesn't add to the film. You are not able to focus on the dancer but your focused or rather distracted by the extras, which may actually work to the films advantage given the overall poor dance skills. Even still it reminds of something Alan Davies talked about when filming standup comedy routines. Where the camera needs to be able to see the full stage as well as the medium shot of the comedian to get the full effect of the comedy as sometimes comedians are on the floor and out of shot of the static medium shot. This is the same for dance where the movement and performance is what's important and as the camera gets too close to make use of the 3D technology that has been so popular as of late it loses the performance aspect. 

It's best to see it with two contrasting performances between the first the third films in the Step Up series. Notice here that even with closer shots of individual dancers their movements can still be seen and other dancers are visible in the background who are mirroring the dancer the camera is focused on.

Now compare that with this performance from Step Up 3D where the body of the dancer obscures the camera and the view of the audience. It still follows the long shot medium shot format but the focus is away from the actual performance at least of the rival dance group and more on getting that 3D effect. My personal favorite is when the dancer spits on the camera. What class!

 

It's quite possible that the only person this bothers is me and it might not seem as annoying to others but it becomes more and more frustrating as the film goes on because it continues to do this. Even with my criticism it must be doing something right because they're making yet another one, what will that one bring?