Movie Review: Footloose (2011) and Footloose (1984)
Zoe Krueger
I admit, I went into the new Footloose movie with high doubts of it being anything worth seeing, but I did attempt to watch it without bias and with the hope that it would surprise me. Sadly, my initial doubts were right. I found myself stuck in my theater chair, aching for my foot to be cut loose.

The beginning of the 2011 version starts out like the original, yet it has a different effect that didn’t hit quite like the ’84 version’s. This feeling drags itself throughout the entire movie, important scenes that tried too hard to mirror the older version ended completely flat. Many parts of the movie had the chance to set the audience in the moment, to give the feeling of real emotion; unfortunately, those parts fail to set chills down our spines.

The movie lacks a climax, a defining moment when everything falls into place. Instead, it lulls from scene to scene without any high points, making it an excellent movie to fall asleep to. To add to the bland-ness that was this movie, the leading lady was the pure definition of falling flat. If anything tried too hard in the movie, it was the character of Ariel. I congratulate the actress for attempting to play the part, but sometimes there’s nothing an actress can do to make a poorly written script work.

Let us not forget the criticize the atrocious dancing. There have been quite enough movies made that prove that there is higher quality dancing out there, and for a movie that revolves around dancing, it should have been much, much better.

I do have a positive note, and that is I liked a change or two they made to the story line. For example, Ren’s mother accompanies him to the town of Bomont in the 84’ movie, in  the 11’ version she has died from leukemia. They use his loss as a way for Ren to relate to Revrend Shaw Moore, the father of his heart’s desire and the town’s holy leader, when he asks to take Ariel to the school dance. Also, I was very touched that Ariel and her father somewhat dance together before she leaves with Ren to the prom, it was one of the very few touching moments.