Stomp the Yard

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Manny Lewis

The ads for Stomp The Yard play like a music video and, thus, they are not misleading; the film consists of a series of phenomenal dance sequences, all highly entertaining and expertly choreographed.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

The results are corny beyond measure. Yet there's something sweet about them, in part because there's something sweet about hearing the line "Congratulations! Why didn't you tell me you pledged?" outside the realm of comedy.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

For his part, Short, another pop choreographer, sounds like Vin Diesel, but he moves like a bee. When he dances, he makes sure every girl in the theater goes home stung.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

Stomp the Yard hasn't an original bone in its fierce, sweaty body, but explosive choreography, high-energy moves and a generous helping of hot, frequently shirtless guys offer plenty of entertainment.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Short is a professional choreographer, and his dancing seems unstuck in time. How he can break his movements down to such small elements, keep them so precise and in such rigorous rhythm, yet keep the whole thing on track and moving forward with Nureyev's beauty and discipline is something to see.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

The shallow frat-on-frat rivalry and the poor-boy-loves-rich-girl subplot don't mean a thing. But the stepping does got that swing.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

The movie lives and dies on the energy of stepping.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

So, yes, the story is bland and predictable and disappointing. But here's the thing about dance movies (or cheerleading movies, or even marching band movies): All that really matters is the action.

New York Post Kyle Smith

As DJ, Columbus Short eases his way through the movie without trying to impress us too much, which is welcome, but he's also a little bland around the edges.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Stomp the Yard, at nearly two hours, has a decent story, a good subject and a horrible plot.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Far too long for a movie so unabashedly formulaic, Sylvain White's drama about a kid from L.A. who discovers the world of "stepping" at an Atlanta university uses a propulsive soundtrack and flashy dance sequences to draw attention away from wooden acting and a cliched plot.

The New York Times Rachel Saltz

A strange and at times strangely compelling mix of black fraternity recruitment video and inspirational tale about a hip-hop boy in a stepping world.

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

Won't ever be accused of breaking new ground; it's too busy entertaining to worry about being original.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

As the central character in this musical melodrama about step dancing in black fraternities, Short displays an uncanny dramatic sensibility to go with the eye-catching athleticism of his dance moves.

Variety Justin Chang

The dancing is more dynamic than the plotting in Stomp the Yard, an energetic if formulaic underdog tale about warring black fraternities specializing in an intensely competitive style of step dancing.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

The plot is stale though some of the moves are fresh.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson

Unfortunately, it misses the one cliché that might have been welcome: the predictably plotted flashy dance movie where the actual dance makes it all worthwhile.

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

Newcomer Short has charisma, charm and athleticism to burn, but it's mostly for naught in a movie that spends two tedious hours pulling out every stop in the gold-hearted-kid-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks- meets-gold-hearted-girl-who-values-true-love-above-privilege playbook.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Holding all this together would be enough of a chore even without the hollow black-pride message.

Empire Simon Braund

Decidely average teen drama but with a few decent dance numbers.

Premiere Stephen Saito

Director Sylvain White, whose last film was the equally unnecessary "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer," manages to take the joy out of a dance movie by jerking the camera around and speeding up the dance moves so much.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Given its predictable story, the only reason to see Stomp is for the rhythmic step dancing.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Stepping is everything in Stomp the Yard, and, dare I say it, a stepping stone to DJ's redemption. The movie itself is redeemed -- slightly -- by its almost touching devotion to the hoary Hollywood traditions of college movies with battling frats, as well as its earnest endorsement of education.

Los Angeles Times Michael Ordoña

Yes, stepping is an age-old tradition at historically African American schools, but this smells of desperation; one more misstep for a film with two left feet.