How Reviews Are Done On NextGenHomeTheater.com : Here is the first content review on the blog. Before getting into Step Up All In, let’s set some ground rules for review on this site. The first thing is that the movie itself will never be reviewed, as this is not the intention and tastes and opinion regarding movies are up to the viewer. Furthermore, the review will concentrate on the next generation element of the content, so in this case the Dolby Atmos track, while presenting the other aspects. A Blu-Ray 4K would for example be reviewed for visual performance only. There will not by any numbers either, just comments and a purchase recommandation in the conclusion.
The Movie
Step Up All In is the fifth instalment of the series and regroup characters from the previous movies while they regroup in Las Vegas for a dance competition called The Vortex with the ultimate price of running their own show in Sin City for three years.
Video Presentation
The movie is presented is a slightly adapted aspect ratio of 1.78:1 from it’s initial theatrical release of 1.85:1. The movie was presented in 2D and 3D in theaters, but the Blu-ray release only offers a 2D rendition. Nothing bad to say about the video presentation, it is colourful and always visually pleasing.
Audio Presentation in Dolby Atmos
This is where it gets interesting for Step Up All In as the movie is one of the four movies released in 2014 with a Dolby Atmos audio track, in english. French speaking viewers will not be able to leverage this track as it is only presented in Dolby Digital 5.1.
Compared to the three action movies that make up the rest of the quartet of Dolby Atmos releases available in 2014, Step Up All In is a less directional soundtrack using the new format features more for ambiance than for special effects. It’s of course during the dance productions that the track is more active and the first reaction is to look for effects and think that the Atmos track does not add that much. But disabling the height channels confirms that not only is the new object-based direction effects important in Atmos : the 3D sound field created by the addition of height channels is also a critical feature. Yes 7.1 was already creating a great surrounding environment, but the new sound-field is more impressive and really feel like being right in the middle of the action.
The most impressive sequence is the mad scientist video the group creates, the scene is great potential demo material for your Dolby Atmos system. This is a rare instance in the movie of great directional sounds and you will clearly end up with a large smile while your ears are pleased by the difference effects. This is one of those moments where you are purely convinced that the Dolby Atmos investment was worth every cent of it.
Bonus Features
The Blu-ray version of Step Up All In comes with the following special features :
- Audio Commentary track by director Trish Sie and actress Briana Evigan
- All In With The Crew : documentary
- Dance Breakdown : documentary of the final dance sequence
- Clap, Stomp, Slide : special effect only dance sequence
- Ryan’s Favorite Dance Scenes with Optional Commentary
- The Vortex Dance Index : a branching of only the dance scences
- Deleted Scenes
Conclusion
Out of the four initial Dolby Atmos Blu-rays available, Step Up All In is clearly not the first one you will get out to demo your system. But it’s audio presentation still displays aspects of the format that are interesting in term of feeling in the middle of the action. Probably a movie you would not have purchase for your home theater system but that will end up in your collection because of the Atmos track and that will finally be interesting to watch from a technical standpoint.