Step Up 2 the Streets (PG-13, 2008)

Orphaned and threatened by her guardian to be sent away for hanging with 401, a crew that attacks subway trains with hip-hop dance pranks, Andie (the charismatic Briana Evigan) gets a reprieve when she's admitted to the esteemed Maryland School of the Arts in Baltimore. But juggling the demands of street dancing and classes proves far too difficult, and she gets kicked out of 401. It's the only family she knows, and she loves the thrill of street dancing. So Andie, convinced by phenomenal dancer and classmate, Chase (Robert Hoffman), forms her own crew comprised of the school's misfits. They may be outsiders at MSA, but on the dance floor, they have mad skills. And the group's determined to battle it out with Andie's old gang for supremacy on the streets.

The paint-by-numbers plot won't win any awards, but STEP UP 2 THE STREETS delivers electrifying dance performances set to an infectious soundtrack. (T-Pain's groove-inducing "Low" is pitch-perfect.) And it's hard to argue with the feel-good conclusion that favors the message of unity over a more typical, schmaltzy love-story ending. Plus, the cast is fantastic, especially Adam Sevani as Moose, Andie's newfound friend at MSA. Also look for heartthrob Channing Tatum from the original Step Up, who gives a small but impressive show at a club.

Director Jon M. Chu wisely lets the dancing speak for itself -- the acting and the story aren't bad, but are hardly memorable -- by giving the dancers room to impress; There's no heavy-handed editing here, no quick-cut overload. The result: Entertainment that's light on depth but heavy on fun -- and full of mesmerizing dance.

Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Director: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Adam Sevani, Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman
Genre: Musical
Run time: 98 minutes
Theatrical release: February 14, 2008
DVD release: July 14, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: language, some suggestive material and brief violence.