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Stomp the Yard
Screen Gems


7.0

based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 35 votes
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MPAA RATING: PG-13 for a scene of violence, some sexual material and language

Starring Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Brian J. White, Laz Alonso, Valarie Pettiford, and Jermaine Williams

A coming-of-age drama interwoven with elements of romance, class conflict and the rich tradition of African American college fraternities. (Sony)

GENRE(S):	Drama \| Musical
WRITTEN BY:	Robert Adetuyi Gregory Ramon Anderson (earlier screenplay)
DIRECTED BY:	Sylvain White
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: May 15, 2007 Theatrical: January 12, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	109 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

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.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jordan S gave it a10:
This movie was a great movie I really loved watching this movie! "Stomp The Yard" had an awesome Choreography!

Zift K gave it a4:
The movie was very eh... Nothing new, just like your normal dance movie. IE) you got served. It had some nice moves, and so on, but the rest of the movie dragged. Watch it when it's on TV, it's nothing to write home about. I'd say the highlight in the movie was April, she looked great. Other than that, very average movie.

Christopher D. gave it a2:
This is a rewrite of Teen Wolf. It is the same exact story just it doesn't take place in highschool. I have seen this movie so many times in a hundred different guises and this is beyond childish. It offers nothing culturally of importance though it portends importance. Do not waste your time this movie has nothing to offer but the many jokes you can make about it.

Jasmin R. gave it a10:
I love this movie. It shows what black fraternities are all about. I think Columbus did a great job portraying step moves and I think he's a GREAT dancer! I really love Columbus Short. I am a young person myself I think that this movie is by far the BEST movie for young colored kids, coming into college!!

Charles T. gave it a4:
This movie is just like another You got Served kind of movie. Unoriginal and plain. The only good thing about this movie is the stepping and the hot girl. Otherwise its just a shame that in Stomp The Yard is so predictable and filed with lame plots.

Brandon B. gave it a10:
This movie is very cool. It has its sad parts and all the moves are awesome it is a thrillride from the acting to the impossible moves they pulled of The Director made this movie his best one. This movie is AWESOME so buy it tomorrow.

Chad S. gave it a3:
DJ(Columbus Short) is, by all appearances, not a product of his environment; he's smart enough to attend Truth University on a scholarship; he's more like Tre than Doughboy. We assume. "Stomp the Yard" flees John Singleton's hood before we know who DJ is: good kid or thug? Stay awhile, after all, "Stomp the Yard" has a running time close to two hours. All we know about this dancer's life in Los Angeles is that he witnessed his brother's murder. For starters: has he himself ever fired a gun? DJ doesn't come to Atlanta with any noticeable baggage, which challenges the stereotype about hip-hop being a preventive measure against pacifism and feminism. DJ is a nice guy, a little too nice. He's boring. I'm not advocating that he smack his bitch up; I mean, April(Meagan Good), but a few rough edges would make for a more interesting protagonist. Neither the cardboard characters nor the okay dance sequences deliver us from noticing how the story unfolds, almost by rote. It's that predictable and completely devoid of any surprises.

Stomp the Yard Screen Gems

Stomp the Yard
Screen Gems