Bring It On (2000)

1 out of 4

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union, Clare Kramer, Nicole Bilderback, Lindsay Sloane, Richard Hillman

Director: Peyton Reed

Time: 98 mins

While cheerleading and being part of a cheerleading squad has been an integral part of many sports-themed films in the past, there has rarely been a film that focuses on cheerleading competition itself (in particular, the USA nationals). To many people around the world, the idea of a cheer squad competing for national honours may be quite foreign, but in America it is almost as ferocious and intense a contest as the sports they're supposed to support. Some squads, like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, have even become famous for their exploits. Now here comes Bring It On, a film that portrays one high school's drive to win the nationals for a 6th time, and the many obstacles that impede their way. While portrayed as a comedy, the film has hardly any laughs, and the usually peppy cheering routines fall pretty flat. There are good performances from Kirsten Dunst and Eliza Dushku, but Bring It On is ultimately poor entertainment.

It's the start of a new school year, and Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst), having just seen her boyfriend Aaron (Richard Hillman) off to college, is chosen to be the captain of her school's cheer squad. When a current member of the group injures herself during practice, a search is conducted for a replacement. In comes Missy Pantone (Eliza Dushku), a gymnast who chooses cheering as a last resort because gymnastics is not offered on the curriculum. After watching the team perform, Missy informs Torrance that the routines are a copy of another high school's. Faced with embarrassment or charges of plagiarism, Torrance, Missy, and the rest of the squad must devise something new or be the laughing stock of the country.

It's hard to classify what sort of movie Bring It On is. The trailer contained so many shots of sexy poses and skimpy outfits one figures it may be hormone-ravaged young boys that the film is aimed at. To be sure, there is a "purve" factor involved with cheerleading, but although the main focus of the film is on the females, there are also several males who get to strut their stuff on the team. There are also elements of teen movies, but these bits are embarrassingly bad. And I probably laughed about three times in the entire film - and that's being generous! It's hard to eke out a smile when you come across such wince-worthy lines as (in reply to a request about the team not resting on their laurels): "Who knows? Maybe a laurel is a good place to rest." (This may not be exactly what was said, but you get the gist.) I'm not sure if this line was meant to be a smart-alec style joke within the film (the characters weren't laughing or groaning at it), or a pun that's meant to be funny to the audience. Trust me: it wasn't funny.

The best things about the movie are the two young leads. Kirsten Dunst is capable of impressive performances, such as the young bloodsucker in Interview With The Vampire, as well as nondescript roles where she just fades into the background, as in Jumanji and Small Soldiers. Here she is bright, plucky and effervescent, but her efforts aren't helped by the tired script. Eliza Dushku, who many may remember as Arnold Schwarzenegger's daughter in True Lies or know as Faith in TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is similarly impressive as the new kid in school who is cynical about cheerleading at first but is slowly won over by the competitive aspects. The rest of the cast is serviceable but no one stands out. There could have been an interesting sub-plot about one of the (gay) male cheerleaders, but this is given lip service only.

In the end Bring It On turns out to be a largely laughless comedy with ample opportunities for showing short skirts and alluring dance moves. Even if you're there for the "purve" factor, however, you might still find this movie highly un-entertaining. Give it a miss.

(c) Joe Wong (23 December 2000)