alcantaraj-16594 NOTE: I NEVER SAW THE ORIGINAL FILM. After seeing "Footloose," I already thought of a headline for my IMDB review of the film. It goes like this: "A FUN TIME + TOUCHING YET SIMPLE STORY AND MESSAGE + CHARACTERS YOU'LL LOVE = "FOOTLOOSE"." However, after seeing the IMDB user rating, I changed it to "A 5.9 IMDB RATING!? SERIOUSLY!?". I can't believe this movie has a 5.9. Yes, we have different tastes but a movie this good does not deserve a 5.9. Here's why:FUN TIME - It's an entertaining movie. The dances at the film's start, middle and end were very energetic. TOUCHING YET SIMPLE STORY & MESSAGE - The film tells the story of the dance-loving Ren who moves into a town that prohibits teens from public dancing after a tragic accident three years prior. The town basically sees dancing as a sin. Throughout the film, you can see teens wanting to dance (like what teens do). Basically saying: "We won't be dancing when we're older, so please let us dance." To avoid spoilers, I suggest whoever reads this review to check out the film. NOTHING MAJOR HAPPENS. HOWEVER, you'll feel the message at the film's 3rd act.CHARACTERS YOU'LL LOVE -Everyone has courage. The teens want to dance and you can see why. The parents don't want teens to violate the law (especially the law against dancing) and you can see why (though, they overreact a bit). You'll love them because you understand them.Now, the movie is not perfect. There was a useless fight scene at the end and I DID NOT LIKE JULIANNE HOUGH'S PERFORMANCE, but, still, "Footloose" does not deserve a 5.9.

zapcypher Bad music (how was he inspired to do that warehouse routine to whatever that music was? I wasn't inspired to check the soundtrack list. I'm not against using "modern" music, but it needs to sound good and have a dance-able beat!) Julianne Hough seems to be about 30 with her cheerleader-worn voice, over-tan, and strip-pole dance moves (no, dad shouldn't be upset when he comes in the room to find me faux-effing some guy I barely know, who's a different guy than the one I've actually been effing{well, they left that kind of vague in the door-pulled-down scene, and when she was asked point-blank about it}- who appears to be around 30 as well, and she's a high-school student? 17 or 18? Nobody questioned that? potential statutory rape. Or the glossing over of her being beaten by him?) The lead WAS a brat, and I agree with another reviewer, completely unremarkable/memorable. boring! thankfully I saw it on DVD so I could fast-forward a lot, esp. the completely contrived and time-fill scene with the buses etc. on the racetrack. These kids actually WERE misbehaving! not just being screwed by over protective parents. As cheesy as much of it is, see the original instead. There can't be a spoiler because it's an almost complete remake (they barely tried to modernize it!) and because nothing happens.

generationofswine Have you seen it? No? There is likely a very good reason for that...it stinks.Like nearly ALL the endless remakes and reboots that have been plaguing movie goers for the past decade or so....all this is, is a heartless version of the original.It has no heart.It has no soul.It is a retelling of a film that we all love and cherish...and it adds nothing to the story. It improves nothing but the special effects--which held up very well over time--and in some cases belittles the fans of the original...particularly in the fact that they remade the movie at all, without adding anything clever to it.Like so many other remakes it is a hallow shell of the original.

TheLittleSongbird Despite being an enormous hit at the time, the original 'Footloose' is somewhat of a love it/hate it film.To me, it wasn't a great film, did have issues with the story, some of the script and one dance sequence (the one in the abandoned warehouse). However, the immense appeal is definitely understandable and the original 'Footloose' still stands up as an enjoyable film for the soundtrack, dancing/choreography and the casting.While there are definitely worse remakes out there ('Psycho' and 'The Wicker Man'), 'Footloose' (2011) is still, like a fair few remakes, rather pointless.It's not all awful. The best thing about is Miles Teller, a great and instantly appealing performance that is every bit as good as Chris Penn's in the original, the only actor in the film to have that distinction. Some of the dancing is dazzlingly good, especially Willard learning how to dance. Plus the production values are beautiful.However, while the soundtrack was unforgettable and toe-tapping in the original they are forgettable here, the more contemporary and country arrangements robbing them of their catchiness and charm. The songs themselves are not bad at all, far from it, but how they're arranged are very much so. There are some great moments with the dancing, but too much of the dancing lacks the finger-snapping quality and energy of the original's choreography.'Footloose' further suffers from being too faithful, with a lot of the same material but with little to none of the nostalgic charm and fun. Nothing is done also to improve on the daftness, ridiculousness and schmaltz of the story from the original, instead those problems are actually amplified here, with lots of cheese and overwrought emotion, and hurt even further by pacing that feels like one is riding on the back of a snail.Miles Teller aside, though Ray McKinnon and Kim Dickens are also quite good but aren't in it enough, the cast just don't cut it, and neither does the very uninspired direction. Kenny Wormald is an incredible dancer but a lousy actor, a bland presence throughout and he is never sure whether to overact or underplay because the performance is a mess of both. Julianne Hough is beautiful, but doesn't have the confidence, vulnerability or charm to match.Andie McDowell feels out of place and, with the lack of engagement with her material, looks completely cost. Dennis Quaid gives a limp and sometimes over-compensated performance, and constantly looks ill at ease. There is little chemistry between the two of them as well, the dignity and gentle touch from the original's chemistry between the two characters is missed, replaced with a sense of being condemned throughout.Overall, there's worse out there but there was really not needed and the execution on its own merits is severely wanting. 3/10 Bethany Cox