By Hannah Lutz, Staff Writer
Remakes of movies have been the trend lately. “Footloose” is the newest remake of the ‘80s genre. As a fan of the original “Footloose,” I was skeptical of going to see the new release but to my surprise it was tastefully done.
Watching the original and the remake one will see they are similar, but there are a few changes. Craig Brewer is the director of the latest“Footloose.” The plot is almost the same, except Ren McCormack, played by Kenny Wormald, comes to the small town called Bomont after his mother dies. In the original his mother moves with him. Along with this, a few other minor situations are updated to address current issues.
Similarities between the first “Footloose” and the second included the soundtrack. Keeping the original songs in the remake was a great way to keep the fans of the original movie interested in the new one.
The plot of the movie is basic. After the town has five teenagers die in a car wreck coming home from a party, the city passes a law prohibiting dancing. The high school kids dance in secret, but would not dare to raise the issue with city officials. When McCormack moves to Bomont from Boston he is determined to win the town over and change the law.
Stepping into the shoes that Kevin Bacon once wore so well seemed to be the biggest challenge of the movie. Although Wormald is an amazing dancer and did not need a double, as Bacon did, something is missing about the charisma Bacon possessed. Bacon had an edgy side, whereas Wormald had to work hard to create this bad-boy persona.
Julianne Hough made her debut on “Dancing with the Stars” and landed the role as the rebellious preacher’s daughter, Ariel. In her first major acting role, Hough is pleasant to watch and did a great job acting and dancing.
McCormack’s sidekick, Willard, played by Miles Teller, brings comedy to the film. We all know a Willard, he is the guy who is not afraid to say what he is feeling, and he is a hard-worker. Throughout the movie Willard tries his best to learn how to dance, and by the end of the movie, the audience is thrilled to see him move.
Like most movies, “Footloose” has its superheroes — and in this case it would be McCormack. He saves the girl from the wrong guy, brings confidence to his sidekick and brings the community closer.
For viewers who are not a fan of ‘80s movies, the remake is one to go and see. Although the story line of a town that bans dancing and loud music is a little far-fetched for our generation, it is still a high-energy film. In the remake there seems to be more drama, which is most likely due to the Hollywood standard more than two decades after the original. Also, some of the dancing shown in the newer flick might have been considered explicit in the ‘80s — and still could be today.
Overall, the film was entertaining and easy to follow. But be warned: After watching this movie, one might be tempted to take a few dance lessons — or at least watch more dance movies.
