For those whose contemporary standards of \dirty"" dancing have changed over the past 17 years, rest easy with the knowledge that you no longer have be content with notions of ""dirty"" dancing from the Reagan era; ""Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights"" is now playing in theaters.
Whoever put this pipe dream into motion has more than their own share of power. Blame can easily be placed on the frequent scapegoat, Fidel Castro, who led the 1958 revolution that serves as the backdrop for the film. In other words, this revolution fills in the gaps between the film's weak, uninspired dialogue and ""dirty dancing."" To consider this a sequel to the original ""Dirty Dancing,"" or to even vaguely associate with it, is blasphemous.
Unlike the protagonist of the original, Baby, a young woman who is completely uneducated in both love dancing, the sequel's all-American Katey Miller's (Romola Garai) biggest trauma is learning how to ""feel the music"" Cuban-style.
By far the most striking difference between ""Dirty Dancing"" and its sequel is the emotional attatchment each provokes in its audience.Compared to Baby, who provokes understanding for the mature life choices she is faced with, Katey is too consumed with petty difficulties.Baby goes from an awkward teenager to a strong-minded woman, whereas Katey's primary transformation is a matter of wardrobe.
Katey's parents, former dancers themselves, transport their two daughters from their suburban home in America to equally sheltered lives in Cuba. Katey goes against the conservative ideals of her elite society to befriend/romance one Cuban, Xavier (Diego Luna). But Xavier is just a celebrated dance partner, no greater than an extra, who has no real influence on Katey or her family. Combine this with the film's incoherent political rhetoric and one can find what may be one of the worst fictional documentations of the effects of the Cuban revolution on American society ever created.
Of course, the film isn't aiming for realism, but surely it could have used more imagination. It seems to be just as confused regarding its identity as its audience. It is yet another member of the dance/forbidden romance genre, among the ranks of ""Save the Last Dance"" and ""Center Stage.""The movie's only distinguishing characteristic, that of its ""Havana nights,"" is Americanized.No outstanding significance is given to Cuban culture or political structure outside of the Xavier's stereotypical ability to ""move to the music.""
Even the dancing cannot measure up to the original. Instead of giving the audience the pleasure of simply observing the gracefulness of its dance through long takes, the film resorts to flashy editing. Excessive use of jump cuts and uncomfortably close framings leave the viewer in confusion as to what dirty dancing actually looks like. Together with the film's contemporary soundtrack featuring Wyclef Jean and Mya (whose careers will hopefully survive this movie),it is difficult to distinguish between an actual attempt at filmmaking or an elaborate marketing scheme.
If you are looking to have the time of your life all over again, watch the original ""Dirty Dancing"" and try to forget that the budget for ""Dirty Dancing 2"" could have been spent on a more worthwhile film.
