Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Breakin' Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown December 17, 2023

Oh snap! It's the 1980s kids. Not the '80s of Transformers, He-Man and Rainbow Bright, or other Saturday morning fun for kids, mind you, but the '80s for adults: when soaring ballads and glam-rock anthems blared free, when flashy sunglasses and flashier pants were all the rage, and when slashers, dance offs, high-flying mavericks and unstoppable killing machines from the future dominated the box office. And what, oh what, could possibly be more 1980s than cult dance-flick classic Breakin' and, depending on who you ask, the best-slash-worst titled sequel of all time, Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. (Not sure if it's the "electric" or the "boogaloo" that does it, but it's so gratifying to say out loud. Try it with me. Electric Boogaloo. Shivers.) I was too deep in the Transformers and He-Man camp to pay much attention to teen and young adult culture of the decade, but hoo boy, did my little grade-school mind miss out on a wild double feature. Breakin' is a solid bit of genre fun, packed with music, dancing and a give-it-all-or-get out bunch of young actors eager to leave their mark on the screen. Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo... well, it'll always have that title. Sandpiper is releasing both (or perhaps re-issuing each film separately, as they were first made available on Blu-ray from Shout Factory in a now out-of-print 2015 two-film edition), and there's no better time than the present to pony up and enjoy two slices of '80s cheese.

From Brian Orndorf's 2015 review of the double feature Blu-ray release of Breakin' and its sequel: Never one to let a trend slip through his fingers, producer Menahem Golan quickly jumped on the opportunity to make a movie based on the breakdancing craze that swept across the nation in the 1980s. Golan’s Cannon Films sprinted to the finish line with 1984’s Breakin' with hopes to beat the competition, Beat Street (which took a more sobering look at hip hop culture), to the punch. Cannon won the war, transforming the feature into a sizable hit (keep in mind that the movie outgrossed The Terminator that year). While such production determination is interesting, Breakin' certainly has its issues, struggling with dramatic concerns as it spends most of its energy on musical numbers and street dance choreography. However, technical and emotional limitations aside, the picture has a certain spirit that’s hard to deny, providing a look at bodies in motion as they quake, roll, and spin their way around the frame, keeping the feature’s batteries charged long enough to make the effort easily digestible and, at times, terrific escapism.

Kelly (Lucinda Dickey) is a young diner waitress (she’s “pushing 20”), unwilling to focus on her dream of jazz dance. While encouraged to follow her heart, Kelly finds trouble with instructor Franco (Ben Lokey), an arrogant creep who tries to harass his student into a relationship. Kelly finds salvation on Venice Beach, meeting street dancers Ozone (Adolfo “Shabba-Doo” Quinones) and Turbo (Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers), who dismiss the suburban woman’s desire to join the urban dance scene. However, persistence pays off, along with Ozone’s obvious attraction to Kelly, with the trio forming the TKO Crew, hitting the local club, The Radiotron, to battle rivals Electro Rock. Acquiring an agent in James (Christopher McDonald), Kelly is torn between her love of street dance and the chance for a stage career, working to bring the body-shaking art to the mainstream, with Franco ready to sabotage any attempt at legitimacy.

Directed by Joel Silberg, Breakin' looks like a movie that’s hanging on for dear life. While Cannon Films has a history of quickie productions, this effort seems especially rushed, gifted only a threadbare plot that highlights a collision of classes as rich girl Kelly mingles with urban dancers Ozone and Turbo, hoping to bridge the social divide through dance. There’s a suggestion of romance between Kelly and Ozone, but it’s never developed in full. The same is true for James, who’s introduced as a rival for Kelly’s heart, making Ozone jealous, but the screenplay abandons the subplot as well, laboring to pare down complications, making room for the dance sequences. A little more material wouldn’t hurt Breakin', which follows in the footsteps of juvenile cinema classics of the 1950s. However, with Golan tapping his watch, Silberg tends to drop everything of substance to return to the dance, and who can really blame him?

Breakin' is defined by its dance-offs, and most of the them are infectious fun, watching the TKO Crew face off against Electro Rock at the Radiotron (a young Ice T portrays the M.C. of the joint, acting as a Greek chorus of sorts), trading aggressive moves while surrounded by an enthusiastic mob. Training montages and introductions work as well, watching Ozone and Turbo share their skills on Venice Beach (a gyrating Jean- Claude Van Damme in a black singlet is easily spotted in the background) and work with Kelly (aka “Special K”) during her street dance education, becoming a firm breakdance unit. Time apart hold some magic, with Turbo using a convenience store broom as a dance partner in a Gene Kelly- inspired number that’s easily a film highlight. The moves are solid, sold with speed and energy, highlighting natural abilities from the trio, who, despite apparent behind the scenes unrest (Quinones has gone on record about his hostility toward Dickey during the shoot), come together as a credible hip hop force.

Dance is the core of the movie, but Breakin' also carries an endearing innocence, generally avoiding a true depiction of L.A. poverty to celebrate a strong work ethic, training, and a shattering of racial boundaries. Its bright personality comes in handy, especially when Silberg gets silly, with the usage of “chicken” secured as a viable taunt between gangs, and there’s a bizarre scene where the TKO Crew attempts to grab a meal at some type of redneck eatery, with a bunch of red-faced good old boys triggering a bar fight just so the production has one more bit of excitement to share. As for performances, expectations were never high for the dancers, and they frequently stiffen up when the script demands more character-driven moments of camaraderie and confession. Charisma comes through, just not technique, with the amateur status of Quinones, Dickey, and Chambers easily identified throughout the movie. Silberg appears to recognize limitations, largely focusing on silent reactions, body movement, and Dickey’s leotard-based wardrobe.

Breakin' Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I gotta say, I'm impressed. I suspect -- but can't verify -- that this is the same 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer that first appeared on the now out-of-print 2015 Shout Factory Blu-ray two-film edition. The only reason I hesitate to state that as a fact is because in his 2015 review of the SF release, Brian Orndorf mentions "slight signs of age through a mild muting of vibrancy", which I don't perceive here. That doesn't automatically mean Sandpiper has improved with the encode, though. It could easily be two subjective pairs of eyes critiquing the same transfer differently. But I can only go with what's attached to my skull and brain. To my eyes, Breakin' looks quite good, with vivid colors, deep black levels, solid contrast leveling and warm skin tones (so warm that they occasionally struck me as oversaturated). The bright blue skies above the city sometimes drift purple or gray, but it's most likely a product of the original photography. The palette strikes me as sound. Detail is strong too, with clean edge definition, decidedly decent (or sometimes, when the dancing moves inside, even better) fine textures, and a nicely preserved grain field that really only misbehaved in a handful of scenes. (I'm looking at you, heartfelt beach-scene-on-the-rocks.)

Breakin' Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Breakin's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix holds its own, even if it shows the frayed edges of the film's low budget, whatever audio equipment the penny-pinching crew had at their disposal, and forty years of age. That's not to say there are any major problems. It's quaint but more than adequate. Voices are intelligible, dialogue is never lost, the music comes on strong enough to please, and only the thinness of the track and the canned nature of the sound effects and instrumentation bring with them a bit of disappointment. Altogether solid, not really worth complaining about.

Breakin' Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Elements of Hip-Hop (SD, 22 minutes) - A history lesson on street dancing, its origins and legacy.

• Culture of Hip-Hop (SD, 19 minutes) - Another mini-doc that digs into street dancing, hip hop, its culture and community. Oddly, this is the second extra that has little tie-in to Breakin' or its sequel.

• Shout Outs (SD, 4 minutes) - Literal shout outs from cast members to family and friends.

• Living Legends Montage (SD, 4 minutes) - A montage of dance footage.

• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2 minutes)

Breakin' Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Breakin' is good '80s fun, with enough heart, humor, beats and catchy music to still entertain anyone with an affection for the decade. Sandpiper's Blu-ray release is worth a look too, thanks to a noteworthy video transfer, solid DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix and a selection of extras (even if they largely have nothing to do with the film itself). I say jump in and enjoy.