The star-free Step Up franchise has proven a lucrative moneymaking machine for
corporate parent Disney, with the first two films racking up just under
$265 million combined, and the peppy second installment — helmed by Jon
Chu, who returns for a third go-round — in particular dramatically increasing its percentile foreign returns. This brings us to Step Up 3D, a movie that tries to serve as a reminder that, for all the advances in digital technology, the human body is and remains one of if not the most engaging big screen special effects there is. Unfortunately, loud and insurmountable narrative gear-grinding completely derails the energetically pitched third installment of the popular dance series, which never convincingly locates any sort of emotional pulse amidst its occasionally dazzling choreography. For the full review, from Screen International, click here. (Touchstone/Summit, PG-13, 97 minutes)