Battle of the Year Director: ­Benson Lee Starring: Josh Holloway, Chris Brown, Josh Peck ⋆⋆

Josh Holloway plays a basketball coach who turns his hand to breakdancing, training a volatile but talented group of young men to compete at the annual “Battle of the Year”. The film is exactly like every other dance movie in recent times – a reluctant coach takes a ragtag gang of youths, teaches them to work together and moves towards a climactic tournament. It’s visually impressive at times but sticks rigidly to formula. Music star Brown’s legions of fans will enjoy his performance as the troublemaker in the group, but for the most part the cast is interchangeable. Holloway snarls and postures as the coach, but never really makes much of an impression, while it’s disappointing to see the normally impressive Josh Peck in such a generic role. Overall, an uninspired entry into the crowded dance-movie genre.

* James Luxford