I don’t usually speak openly about my fascination with dance films. I’m not talking about the ones from classic Hollywood, with Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers. I’m talking more like John Travolta, Shabba Doo, and Lorenzo Lamas. Movies like Breakin, Staying Alive, and the Step Up series are guilty pleasures of mine. Then along comes The FP (2011), a dance movie like no other.
If you take something like Step Up and mix it with The Warriors, you start to get an idea of what the film is about. It’s a hysterically funny film that plays it straight, and somehow it just works. I wouldn’t quite classify this as a post-apocalyptic film, but it’s pretty darn close. Actually, if the post-apocalyptic dance film isn’t a genre yet, it certainly needs to be. After being long out of print on disc, this re-issue is certainly welcome.
There are two rival gangs, the 245 and 248, who are battling over control of Frazier Park (The FP). The battles take the form of a video game Beat-Beat Revelation. L Dubba E (Lee Valmassy), the leader of the 245, takes on and defeats BTRO (Brandon Barrera), who dies as a result. His younger brother, JTRO (Jason Trost), leaves the FP after the trauma of losing BTRO. One year later, his help is needed back in the FP after L Dubba E has taken control. After he agrees, there’s no way he can win unless he trains with one of the greats BLT (Nick Principe). After being put through the wringer, he will have to focus and use all his skills in order to defeat his enemy and the man who caused his brother’s death.
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It’s certainly not for everyone, but The FP happens to be a ridiculously fun film. It’s filled with enough nods to ’80s pop culture that it almost feels like too much…almost. Written and directed by David and Jason Trost, their tongues firmly pressed in their cheeks, take the audience on a wild ride through this colorful world they’ve created on a budget only a quarter of what Hollywood spends on catering. The cast is in on the joke and plays it exactly as they should. The music echoes what you’d expect from a film like this, and the dance game sequences are not only funny but weirdly badass. There may have been a few moments where the concept felt a little thin, but overall, this is a winner.
While the disc may be a little light on the extras, it still looks pretty vibrant, and the sound can really thump. MVD Visual has done a fine job porting over the film, which was originally released through Drafthouse Films. A sequel, Beats of Rage, was released in 2018, and it looks as if at least two more will be on their way soon. I can’t speak on the sequel material since I’ve yet to see any of it but for now, The FP will leave you wanting to be a part of a ‘beat-off.’
