Streetdance 3D garnered considerable praise upon its initial release, many critics crediting the impressive choreography, infectious sense of fun and competent use of the third dimension in their favourable reviews. In a growing genre like the dance film, Streetdance certainly needed an ace up it sleeve to set it apart from the competition.
While the dance sequences are indeed impressive, they are no more so than anything featured in the Step Up series to date. The story is similarly generic, with two rival crews preparing to battle at some inconvenient occasion. Romances bloom and friendships are tested, all to a toe-tapping soundtrack that culminates in the amalgamation of styles and acceptance of differences – genre signposts rather than narrative spoilers.
So if Streetdance’s moves and direction are so been-there-done-that, exactly what was it that had critics stand up and take such notice?
I’d like to think that the answer didn’t lie in such shallow asides as the extra dimension and the fact that the movie was set on our side of the Atlantic – yet these are nevertheless two points that come up again and again in critic’s reviews. Thankfully there is more to Streetdance than British people backflipping out of the screen; Streetdance’s most important triumph is in fact its cast.
Nichola Burley – yes, the one with the accent – is a revelation as reluctant leader Carly. Last seen in survival mode with Donkey Punch, she carries the movie through its clichés and checkpoints with confidence and competence – coping with the dramatic and technical demands admirably.
The movie is at its best, however, whenever Charlotte Rampling graces the screen as ballet instructor Helena. Her magisterial presence and compelling nature ascribe the film a dignity far beyond its genre aspirations. While the supporting cast sometimes fail to convince, Rampling’s consistency compensates throughout.
So much more than Britain’s Got Talent: The Movie, as the advertising campaign appeared to suggest, Streetdance 3D holds its own against the Step Up juggernaut, providing an unpretentious and perfectly marketed slice of entertainment that often hits high above its station. Ooh at the choreography, groan at the cliché’s and dance yourself to the end of the credits – all in the comfort of your own home.
The set features the movie in both two and three dimensions, while the extras on offer cover everything from the token Making of Documentary to premiere footage. The making of doc captures the enthusiasm with which the cast and crew approached the project, each commentator apparently safe in the knowledge that they are doing something different, uplifting, and – brace yourself – immersive.
‘Anatomy of a Scene’ picks apart the first appearance of the ballet dancers in great detail and to interesting effect. ‘On Set Streetdance’, meanwhile, shows the filming of the larger set pieces behind the scenes while elsewhere on the disc you can find Premiere Footage, Tour Videos and – for those BGT fans among you – a link to the Diversity sequence. Also, just in case you missed the National Movie Awards 2010, Streetdance 3D takes care of that too.
