Step Up 5: All In **½ (2014, Ryan Guzman, Briana Evigan, Adam G Sevani, Alyson Stoner) – Movie Review

So, as the title suggests, the idea here is that all the stars from the previous Step Up instalments come together (apart from original star Channing Tatum of course) in a Las Vegas-set dance extravaganza. That’s the good news and the even better news is that Ryan Guzman returns from 2012’s Step Up 4: Miami Heat (aka Step Up Revolution) for the franchise’s fifth, yes that’s fifth, instalment as sizzling hot dancer Sean.

Unfortunately, his dance crew The Mob are failing in LA, so the guys go back to Miami while Sean decides to stay.

On line, he discovers a dance competition in Las Vegas where the prize is a three-year contract. Sean gets his old dancer pal Moose (Adam G Sevani) to help him find work, somewhere to live and contacts to form a new crew, and Moose introduces him to his family and to Andie (Briana Evigan).

Along with assorted others, the trio head Vegas as the crew Lmmental. But the Mob is there too, Moose has girlfriend problems when some random woman kisses him, Andie doesn’t trust Sean after she was injured a few years ago and, gosh, there’s corruption in the dance-off contest it’s rigged!

When Guzman lets his body and dancing steps do the talking, all is excitingly well in this nice if rather clunky sequel that returns to the moderate level of Step Up 3D (2010) after the much improved Step Up 4.

Guzman is not Robert De Niro, and probably isn’t expecting an Oscar any time soon. But it is not his fault that he is struggling over the dialogue here. It is worse than cheesy. It is often really sticky. But Guzman does his best with what is on offer and he is certainly likeable and a real trier.

Alyson Stoner returns from Step Up (2006) as Camille Gage, Misha Gabriel plays Eddy, Izabella Miko is Alexxa Brava, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss is Jason Hardlerson, Chadd Smith is Vladd and Christopher Scott returns as Hair.

The plot sounds interesting enough, but it creaks and groans as it cranks along, and you kind of feel the actors do the same. But luckily nothing stops the music or dancing for very long. Like Guzman, they are pretty hot.

However the music is a bit samey and the dance sequences are much too heavily cut and edited. So there is no flow in the dance movement that dance films require. Also there is a hint of CGI here and there that also spoils authenticity and entertainment. Keeping it real should be the motto, guys.

Of course this is all harmless, escapist fun, with sweet, warm-hearted, gleefully naive messages about friendship, your real family being the one you choose, and the need to keep stepping in to win, or at least succeed, or be in the dance. There in no point in knocking it.

The whole series has had a mixed to negative reception from film critics but positive responses from audiences, making the movies very commercially successful, grossing over $564 million worldwide. And there is no doubt that Step Up 5 will keep its audience just as happy as its predecessors.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/