So, foregoing the obvious question of why would any serious movie person care about a formulaic dance movie presented in 3-D, just what is it that we're presented with in this latest version of the club-street dance franchise?
Well, if you were a B-Boy (or girl) and have memories of the break dance moves that first lit up the screen in the now "classic" Beat Street and Breakin' movies then this should be pleasant flashback for you despite the intrusion of Blackberrys, Web videos and other current technologies.
If you weren't, and have no appreciation for urban dance then STEP UP 3 will be a lot more painful and annoying, whether in 3-D or 2-D. It will be harder to over come the tired storyline with the usual plot elements, harder to sit through the super-saturated dance numbers (with perhaps one exception - a neat duet between stars Adam Sevani (Moose) and Alison Stoner (Camille, his 'homegirl' and wanna-be girlfriend) which sees them high stepping through a (Brooklyn?) neighbourhood as Fred Astaire sings "I Won't Dance").
Still, the money shots are the dance scenes, and director John Chu largely delivers, particularly in the obligatory championship dance in NYC's World Jam Competition, where the "stars" demolish several rival crews on their way to the obligatory win.
All in all, Step 3 is a movie well aware of its limitations and thus surprisingly free of guile or condescension. This is just a straight-up dance flick take it or leave it.
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