Step Up Revolution

Review Date: July 25, 2012
PG-13
Genre: Romance
2012

Common Sense Media says

Dance movie is formulaic but boasts some fun sequences.

Age

Quality

Positive messages2
The movie's main take-aways are to defend what you believe in and aim high to reach your goals. That said, the flash mob squad at the heart of the film does take pride in breaking laws to get the attention they want on YouTube.
Positive role models2
The two leads are both passionate, kind, and driven -- qualities that are admirable in anyone.
Violence2
A fistfight erupts after a particularly aggressive dance sequence. In one scene, dancers use smoke canisters while wearing gas masks and police vests; it's not violent, but it's eerie/creepy.
Sex2
Sexy dance moves aplenty, as well as some innuendoes and kissing.

Language2
Language includes one "s--t," "damn," "a--hole," "ass," "hell," "oh my God," and "crap."
Consumerism3
Labels spotted or mentioned fairly often include Apple, YouTube, Nike, Dell, Cadillac, and more.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
Social drinking, usually beer or wine, in dance clubs and bars.

Expand to see more details

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, like all of the Step Up films, Step Up Revolution is a fun, fairly harmless trifle (unless you consider fantastic dance sequences featuring skimpily clad dancers dangerous), even though it's not particularly deep or memorable. Tween and teen girls will be drawn to the tale of a good girl who meets an edgy guy and wants to join his dance crew -- you can expect some displays of rebellion, usually in the form of a disruptive flash mob and some graffiti tagging, and plenty of sensual dance moves. There's some social drinking and a bit of swearing ("a--hole," "damn," one "s--t"), too.

What's the story?

Sean (Ryan Guzman) works as a waiter in a high-end Miami hotel -- but his true passion is serving as co-leader of The Mob, an underground dance crew that performs solely at flash mobs that are highly creative ... and usually illegal. In fact, The Mob is feverishly posting flash mob after flash mob online to win $10 million. But then Sean and Emily (Kathryn McCormick), the daughter of Sean's real estate developer boss (Peter Gallagher), meet cute, and they're smitten. Only problem? Emily's dad is planning to do away with Sean's beloved neighborhood to build another money-making mega-complex. Emily joins The Mob, but the rest of Sean's crew don't know her real identity. If they find out, it could be a disaster.

Is it any good?

STEP UP REVOLUTION is far from revolutionary. It's so paint-by-numbers, so bland, that it poses no danger of being a cultural phenomenon. But, boy, is it fun when the dance numbers hit all the right moves, and many of them do. The fedora dance is particularly incendiary.

But dance movies rarely, if ever, become must-sees. (Dirty Dancing is a rare exception.) You hardly remember the main characters, let alone the storyline. Step Up Revolution is no different. The dialogue is cheese ball, the plot threadbare. The stars are only passable actors. That said, they are amazing dancers, especially McCormick. (Enough other alums of the TV series So You Think You Can Dance make appearances here that it feels kind of like a reunion.) And they do make you feel like dancing. In the large scheme of things, that's not such a bad way to measure success.

Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about Step Up Revolution's messages -- standing up for what you believe in and aiming high with your goals. How does it convey these messages?
Why do you think the crew becomes more brazen with each flash mob? How do you feel about becoming a consumer of videos made specifically to get clicks, regardless of content?
Given the crew's presumably honorable motivations, can their law-breaking be excused?

More details

Topics:	arts and dance
Studio:	Summit Entertainment
Director:	Scott Speer
Cast:	Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Stephen Boss
Genre:	Romance
Run time:	120 minutes
Theatrical release date:	July 27, 2012
DVD release date:	November 27, 2012
MPAA rating:	PG-13
MPAA explanation:	some suggestive dancing and language

This review of Step Up Revolution was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo

Age

Based on 6 parent & educator reviews:

67% say there are positive messages
50% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
33% say sexual content is an issue
33% say they noticed product placement
33% say there are positive role models

Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

retireat70

Parent

July 27, 2012

OK for kids & up

Nice clean movie for a change, no sex, no drugs and AMAZING dancing.

I thought it was one of the cleaner movies I have seen in a long time. The main characters fall in love but only kiss. Although their duet dance number is very sensual it does not lead to them do anything but a kiss. The story line has definitely been done, good vs. evil, good wins. I thought it was a nice entertaining movie. The dancing was amazing.

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Kid, 9 years old

July 28, 2012

OK for kids & up

good movie

5 out of 5 stars but 9 out of 10 stars I DO NOT RECCOMEND AGES 8 OUR UNDER

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Kid, 11 years old

July 30, 2012

OK for kids & up

Movie of the year

Its a good movie saying that you should stand up for what you believe in, but there is a boundry.

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Kid, 12 years old

July 30, 2012

OK for kids & up

Step Up Revolution

Great Dance sequences + somewhat entertaining plot = best Step Up yet. There were some very good flash mobs. There was one violent flash mob, and sensuality was frequent. Mild language and social drinking happened often. But other than that, this movie was pretty clean.

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Kid, 9 years old

July 28, 2012

OK for kids & up

Step Up Epic

It was epic.

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jdryfoos

Adult

July 29, 2012

OK for kids & up

took my son who loves to dance

I took my nine year old son to see this movie because he loves to dance (and all of the dancing movies are pg-13). At the very beginning, I was worried that I made a mistake. In the first scene, the main characters meet when they "dirty dance" together. It seemed like fairly unnecessary sluttiness, for an otherwise relatively clean movie. And in the first flash mob, there is some Beyonce-type dancing that is a bit inappropriate. But after those two, it really calmed down. We both enjoyed the movie. Some great flash mobs/dancing scenes. And some fun.

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Redsox1995

Teen, 15 years old

August 15, 2012

OK for kids & up

Not innapropiate but bad

Girls might like it better

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joshua martinez

Adult

August 7, 2012

OK for kids & up

12 and up.

this next step up movie step up Revolution is a great romance movie filled with dancing and some love romance perfect for your young teens to watch and parents the only thing you need to worry about in this movie is some mild language and some social drinking used the message is about defending what you believe in and aim high to reach your goals. That said, the flash mob squad at the heart of the film does take pride in breaking laws to get the attention they want on YouTube and the role models are that the two leads are both passionate, kind, and driven qualities that are admirable in anyone.

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Dogs1995

Parent

August 15, 2012

OK for kids & up

Consumerism is an issue

Too much consumerism

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Wwerobert1995

Teen, 17 years old

August 15, 2012

OK for kids & up

Refund

I want a refund

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Step Up Revolution

Common Sense Media says

What parents need to know

What's the story?

Is it any good?

Explore, discuss, enjoy

Most useful reviews by all members

Nice clean movie for a change, no sex, no drugs and AMAZING dancing.

good movie

Movie of the year

Step Up Revolution

Step Up Epic

took my son who loves to dance

Not innapropiate but bad

12 and up.

Consumerism is an issue

Refund

Center Stage

Footloose

Grease

Step Up

West Side Story