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Bring it on (Collector's Edition) |
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DVD Comedy
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Written by Abbie Bernstein
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Tuesday, 13 February 2001 |
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title:
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Bring It On |
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studio:
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Universal Home Entertainment |
| MPAA rating: |
PG-13 |
| starring: |
Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union |
| release year: |
2000 |
| film rating: |
Three Stars |
| sound/picture: |
Three Stars |
| reviewed by: |
Abbie Bernstein |
"Bring It On" sounds like either a parody or a straight sexploitation
film. Surprise: it’s actually a peppy, smart comedy – one that happens
to be filled with high-school cheerleaders.
Cheerleading is already Torrance Shipman’s (Kirsten Dunst) life when
she’s elected captain of her school’s squad in her senior year.
Although the football team sucks, the Toro cheerleaders have won the
national championship five times running. Kirsten ought to be able to
coast in the leadership position – until she discovers that the former
cheer captain stole the team’s triumphant routines from the East
Compton Clovers. Worse, the Clovers are aware of the theft and aren’t
going to let it slide any longer.
There are a lot of charms to "Bring It On," starting with the film’s
healthy, playful sense of perspective. Writer Jessica Bendinger keeps
Torrance sympathetic and credible, while allowing people around her
(including her new best friend, who has transferred from another school
and takes up cheerleading because gymnastics is not available) to
observe that there’s a larger world outside of cheerleading. Director
Peyton Reed has a sense of humor and a sense of rhythm, both crucial
here. The filmmakers manage the neat trick of investing in Torrance’s
urgency without making her cartoonish, yet still showing the amusing
side of the situation and indulging in just the right amount of
exaggeration for effect.
The cheer routines are creative, impressive and occasionally even
exhilarating. Well before the film ends, we’re prepared to accept the
argument that cheering – as practiced here – is indeed a valid athletic
activity. They are, of course, also very eye-catching, due to the
exuberance and the attractiveness of the participants. A "special
features" selection has "home movie" footage purportedly shot by
various visitors to the set on the day when the bikini car wash (a team
fundraiser) sequence was filmed. Again, Reed adroitly allows us to
admire the physiques of the many attractive young women in the film
without making the proceedings feel unduly exploitative.
The DTS soundtrack has punch and depth, creating a good sense of
environment from the outset. A huge, cheering audience in Chapter 1
seems to surround us, putting us in the center with the cheerleaders
(whose opening routine is verbally hilarious, summing up every
preconception the viewer may have). Chapter 3 has very realistic
vehicular sounds, moving a car straight through the listening field,
and has a powerful kick as the soundtrack music amps up. Chapter 4
spreads the rock ‘n’ roll evenly through fronts and rears during a
cheerleader workout. Chapter 8 lets a hard-rocking anthem blister
through the fronts and mains, and has a most unexpected (and therefore
all the more effective) audio shock effect, scaring both Torrance and
us as a flashback ensues. Chapter 9 has all kinds of interesting,
enveloping details, from footballers stampeding over a field to
thundering, deliberately screeching onscreen guitar practice, tapering
delicately to a well-modulated near-silence. A more ominous silence in
Chapter 13, following an onscreen humiliation, has beautifully nuanced
echoes. Chapter 18 showcases the subwoofer with an emphatic, driving
beat.
The director’s audio commentary is amiable. Apparently anticipating
being reviewed in the Audio Revolution, Reed helpfully points out at
the outset that the commentary is being recorded on a Sannheiser MK-40
mike with a low-end roll-off. Other extras include deleted scenes,
which have onscreen introductions by the director rather than
simultaneous commentary, along with some extended scenes and a music
video. One goodie that requires no trip to the menu is the footage
under the end credits of the whole cast lip-synching the kitsch pop hit
"Mickey."
"Bring It On" is good fun that manages to be lively and light without
insulting anybody’s intelligence. Like cheerleading, it’s harder than
it looks, but the makers of "Bring It On" manage to pull it off.
| more details |
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sound format:
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English DTS 5.1 Surround, English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround |
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aspect ratio(s):
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1.85:1 (Widescreen) |
| special features: |
Making-Of
Featurette; Feature-Length Audio Commentary with Director Peyton Reed;
Deleted Scenes with Director Introduction; Extended Scenes; Home Movies
of Carwash Scene; Wardrobe and Makeup Tests; Animated Anecdotes; Blaque
"As If" Music Video; English Closed-Captioning; DVD-ROM Features;
Chapter Search |
| comments: |
email us here... |
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| reference system |
| DVD player: |
Kenwood DV-403 |
| receiver: |
Kenwood VR-407 |
| main speakers: |
Paradigm Atom |
| center speaker: |
Paradigm CC-170 |
| rear speakers: |
Paradigm ADP-70 |
| subwoofer: |
Paradigm PDR-10 |
| monitor: |
27-inch Toshiba |
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