Bring It On!

Bring It On is a spirited, energetic, and entertaining sports comedy-drama that infuses pop culture, dance, and palpable teenage energy into a single rollercoaster ride of a movie. Released in 2000, this seminal cheerleading movie quickly became a classic of its genre and an important cultural touchstone, inspiring multiple sequels and redefining the conception of the sport in popular imagination.

The film shares the story of Torrance Shipman, incredibly-portrayed by breakout star Kirsten Dunst. Torrance steps into the role of the team captain for the Toros, a high school cheerleading squad from affluent, suburban Rancho Carne High School in San Diego. Under her leadership, the Toros are expected to clinch their sixth consecutive national cheerleading championship.

Just as the team is gearing up for the season, Torrance's world turns upside down when she realizes that their impressive championship-winning routines were not originally their own. The routines were, in fact, plagiarized from the Clovers, a talented, yet underfunded team from an inner-city school. This shocking revelation adds a layer of guilt and urgency to Torrance’s mission and shakes the traditionally confident and poised cheerleader to her core.

Torrance feels a strong moral obligation to the Clovers led by Isis, a strong and determined captain played by Gabrielle Union. Moreover, she is aware that the Toros can only genuinely earn their sixth title by crafting their own unique routine. With a renewed sense of determination, Torrance takes it upon herself to restore her team's integrity and ensure that they achieve their goal legitimately.

However, the stakes only get higher as the Toros scramble to prepare for the championship. They have to deal with the transfer of a rebellious and seemingly unfit new recruit, Missy, portrayed by Eliza Dushku, and an unfortunate injury to one of their top cheerleaders. Through these challenges, the film manages to explore themes of friendship, competition, integrity, cultural appropriation, and finding one’s true identity.

While Bring It On focuses heavily on the fiercely competitive world of cheerleading, the film does not neglect to explore the romantic plotlines expected of a teen comedy. Torrance's uneasy but blossoming relationship with Missy's brother, Cliff, adds yet another layer of complexity to her life. Played by Jesse Bradford, Cliff is an apathetic, guitar-playing teenager whose charisma and charm provide a unique contrast to the flashy, often exhausting world of cheerleading.

Director Peyton Reed skillfully juxtaposes the world of the wealthy Rancho Carne Toros against the hard-knocks East Compton Clovers, using cheerleading as a backdrop to explore a clash of classes, cultures, and even ethical values. The film’s script is sharply funny and feeds the narrative with well-timed humor, while maintaining a high-energy tempo that keeps viewers engaged right until the end.

At its heart, Bring It On is about much more than just cheerleading or the teenage drama that surrounds it. It grapples with the struggle of overcoming obstacles, dealing with rivalry, and pushing one's limits for a cause. It also underscores the importance of fair play and integrity, particularly in the world of high-stakes competition.

The movie is well-acclaimed for its tight-knit and dynamic cheerleading sequences, which bring a highly aesthetic visual appeal. The athleticism and discipline involved in the stunting and tumbling routines are vividly captured. Above all, Bring It On is credited for bringing cheerleading out from the sideline of sports-themed movies and giving it center stage.

On a surface level, Bring It On can be seen as a quintessential underdog story. It takes all those high school stereotypes – the virginal yet popular cheer captain, the brooding anti-hero, the tough outsider who disrupts the status quo – and puts them together in a narrative that ideally should be predictable, but somehow isn't. It's the execution of these elements that sets Bring It On apart from other teen movies of its time.

All in all, Bring It On packs the punch of a lively, daring, and decidedly modern teen comedy. Its fun and energetic tone, highlighted by the electrifying cheerleading scenes and a soundtrack pulsating with hip-hop and pop beats, make it not only enjoyable but also seriously memorable.