Step Up Revolution 2012

Kathleen Murphy, MSN Movies: Despite their infectious energy and some mind-blowing moves, there's a chaotic formlessness to even the best of these set pieces Read more

Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: No one goes to a "Step Up" movie for the plot or the romance. Only the dancing matters here. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: If no one behind the scenes cared enough about the padding around the money sequences to make it original, believable, or interesting, why is there so much of it? Read more

Barbara VanDenburgh, Arizona Republic: She's a rich daddy's girl! He's from the wrong side of the tracks! They bridge their socio-economic gap through the power of dance! Rinse, repeat. Read more

Stephanie Steinberg, Boston Globe: Not as cringe-worthy as you would expect from the fourth "Step Up" installment. Read more

Amy Nicholson, Boxoffice Magazine: Busby Berkeley would have approved of the hijinks director Scott Speer gets up to with his 3D cameras Read more

William Goss, Film.com: With the most wooden leads of the series to date - an MMA fighter and a "So You Think You Can Dance" alum - the drama between the dancing has never felt more interminable. Read more

Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: More is not necessarily better, even when it comes to hot bodies and smooth dance moves. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: Though the location-specific choreography looks like it could be impressive, the film's frantic cutting style makes it difficult to simply enjoy bodies moving in space. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: Contrary to its message, it will not change the world. But the dancing will make you sit up and take notice. Read more

Frank Lovece, Newsday: While dance purists won't be impressed by the energetic and athletic choreography -- the dancers have clearly learned routines but not necessarily technique -- date-movie audiences will likely want to go out dancing afterward themselves, and that's fun. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Will the next "Step Up" tackle the cutting-edge trend of planking? Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: The choreography is solid throughout, but director Scott Speer gets in his own way every time, relentlessly shifting camera angles to close-ups and reaction shots when he should be letting us witness the spectacle. Read more

Hillary Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Sadly, somewhere between a split and a fist pump, Revolution fell flat, and I found myself wishing for Magic Mike in 3-D. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "Step Up: Revolution" is the fourth of the "Step Up" movies, a series of unconnected stories that serve as showcases for the kinds of young stars who sincerely hope they'll soon be in better movies. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: It seems only fair to start with the one thing that's right with it: It's not dead. It should be, but it's not. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail: Delivers plenty of spectacular fancy footwork in what is otherwise a flat-footed fantasy. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: There's too much color and energy and frenzy in this movie to discount it entirely, but it has a disconcerting tendency to undercut its best notions with some singularly awful moves. Read more

Guy Lodge, Time Out: It's equal parts 'Flashdance,' 'Burlesque' and 'Lambada', all parts ludicrous - but we aren't here for the story any more than we watch Bela Tarr for the salsa numbers. Read more

A.A. Dowd, Time Out: The plot is pure boilerplate, yet the draw of this franchise has always been its fancy footwork, and the movie's stuttering, herky-jerky spectacles of impassioned movement are pretty extraordinary. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: [Guzman and McCormick] zero acting experience - and it shows. Same goes for the first-time movie director, Scott Speer, who can't coax even a passable performance from his amateurish cast... Read more

Scott Bowles, USA Today: There isn't a franchise around that matches the kids' moves in the Step Up series. We just need a better reason to dance along. Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: Step Up Revolution, the fourth entry in the venerable dance franchise, is a narrative failure but a triumph of sheer spectacle. Read more

Sean O'Connell, Washington Post: "Step Up: You've Seen All This Before" would be more accurate, but Summit Entertainment's marketing department knows that wouldn't help sell tickets. Read more