"Stomp the Yard"

Columbus Short
Meagan Good
Ne-Yo
Darrin Henson
Brian J. White
Laz Alonso
Valerie Pettiford
Jermaine Williams
Allan Louls
Harry J. Lennix
Chris Brown

PG13           115min           2007


”Stomp the Yard” DJ (Columbus Short), an amazing underground street dancer, hasn’t been in college for a day before he’s entranced by the lovely April (Meagan Good). Working as a gardener to pay the bills. DJ doesn’t fit in with the wealthier students around campus, but one thing does catch his attention – the rival fraternity competitions known as “stepping.” With April’s help, DJ learns about the legacy and heritage behind the fraternities and decides to join up. Now part of an official step group, DJ must balance rehearsals, work, and school, while at the same time winning the heart of the girl of his dreams. With the National Step Championship drawing closer, DJ must learn to stop dancing as an individual, and to start stepping as a team. – from the back cover

This film does what it’s was design to do, showcase steppin’ to the masses. What it fails to due is give an interesting story to go with the steppin’. It tries to relate the history of it to the masses with a few pictures of prominent African-American figures. It comes off as a divertive of a much better film Spike Lee’s “School Daze” And “Drumline”.

The steppin’ in ”Stomp the Yard” is some of the best I’ve seen in film. The steppin’ is exciting and unbelievable. You feel then energy that the crowd was feeling and you get caught up in it too. You see and feel the rivalry between the Wolves

But with so much great steppin’ scenes the rest of the movie falls flat. The story is takes more of a back see to the steppin’ as moments of interlude between. You never really care for the characters and could care less for the drama that their lives entail. The death of Chris Brown so early in the film you never really care that he died to senseless violent and by extension the motivation of DJ.

”Stomp the Yard” tries express the history of steppin’ in one two-minute scene. It lists people like Dr. King and Maya Angelou are part of something bigger than themselves. They tell you from the dialogue that this is what you’re supposed to feel. Maybe it is powerful in person but it’s never really express to the viewer on screen.

More often than not it comes off divertive. It tries to make commentary that Spike Lee did in “School Daze” with the aunt and uncle story line but its not really developed into the main storyline and comes out of left field when introduced. The main story line of DJ finding love and overcoming his setbacks is ripped straight from ”Drumline”. Without the steppin’ this would be a horribly predictable movie to watch and Even with the steppin’ this is a are sell as a good movie. The steppin’ is the highlight of the film and they come far and few between.

I give it 2/5 Gs.