Step Up 2: The Streets (DVD)

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Evigan reminded me somewhat of a thinner Demi Moore, while Hoffman--especially when he smiles wryly and acts charming as hell--resembles Jay Mohr. And Will Kemp, who plays the school's headmaster (coincidentally Chase's older brother, a legendary ballet dancer)--unfortunately reminded me of the Joey Tribiani "smell the fart" method of acting. I swear that one of his reaction shots seemed straight out of that hilarious "Friends" episode--and there were plenty more unintentionally funny moments in this film, though not enough to recommend it.

The acting is generally pretty two-dimensional, and the structure is such that you can leave for 15 minutes and pick up right where you left off, without missing a beat or wondering what's going on. You can see this "Revenge of the Nerds" plot coming the instant that Andie is kicked out of 4-1-0 for two-timing it at the school and Chase suggests they form their own "crew" out of the school's talented misfits--including the clown sidekick (Adam G. Sevani) that's become a staple on Disney Channel shows. There are the predictable jealousies, fights, and reconciliations, and none of it makes for much entertainment except for the dances . . . and those bare midriffs.

Video:
This 98-minute film is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen and "enhanced" for 16x9 televisions. The picture looks very good, though the edges have a noticeable loss of detail in some segments and night scenes often become engulfed in shadows. But the colors are true and the level of grain is minimal.

Audio:
The soundtrack is an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, with French and Spanish options and subtitles also in French and Spanish. For a dance and music video it's not the kind of soundtrack that blows you away. The bass isn't as thumping, the reverb not as pulsing, and the rear speakers not as involved as you might expect. It's a clear and well-balanced track, though, with no real apparent distortion.

Extras:
If you felt music and dance-starved watching this, there's some relief in the bonus features. Eight deleted scenes include dances by Jabbawockeez and West Coast Riders, and there are five music videos: "Low" (Flo Rida, feat. T-Pain), "Ching-a-Ling"/"Shake Your Pom Pom" (Missy Elliott), "Killa" (Cherish, feat. Yung Joc), "Hypnotized," feat. Akon, and "Let It Go" (Brit & Alex). There's also a short (under 15-minute) bonus feature on "Outlaws of Hip Hop" that introduces you to the 4-1-0 dancers individually, showing them in a studio doing their thing and talking on camera. For those into "making of" features there's an equally brief "Through Fresh Eyes: The Making of Step Up 2" that covers familiar bases, and for lovers of outtakes there's a slow-ballad performance of "Is It You?". Rounding out the extras is something that will probably inspire hundreds of people to do similar things. The "Lead Actor Robert Hoffman Video Prank" shows a "Candid Camera"-style episode in a convenience store where the actor puts his arm around his woman and points, asking for something, and on a single-word cue he and everyone else in the store freezes. Cameras roll as the Indian proprietor looks on, tries to talk to them, gets no response, and then reacts as they suddenly break into a moment of dance and then get back to normal, acting as if nothing happened.

Bottom Line:
It's not a complete waste of time, but if you're not in the target teen age range you won't find much to admire (except those bare bellies) in "Step Up 2 the Streets."

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