Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Ashley Benson | ... | Carson | |
Cassandra Scerbo | ... | Brooke (as Cassie Scerbo) | |
Noel Areizaga | ... | Ruben | |
Jennifer Tisdale | ... | Chelsea | |
Kierstin Koppel | ... | Sarah | |
![]() |
Anniese Taylor Dendy | ... | Aeysha |
Jane Park Smith | ... | Reporter (as Jane Park-Smith) | |
![]() |
Lisa Glaze | ... | Pepper |
Adam Vernier | ... | Vance | |
Michael Copon | ... | Penn | |
![]() |
Tanisha Harris | ... | Chicago (as Tymisha Harris) |
![]() |
Dinah Schierer | ... | Prairie Dog Captain |
Jo Beth Locklear | ... | Flamingo Captain (as Jobeth Locklear) | |
Ashley Tisdale | ... | Ashley Tisdale | |
![]() |
Jamaar Berrien | ... | Sharks Dancer |
Southern California high school senior Carson arrives at the all-important "Cheer Camp Nationals" determined to lead her squad, the West High Sharks, to victory. But chic New Yorker Brooke and her team, the East High Jets, are equally steadfast in their pursuit of the competition's coveted "Spirit Stick." As tension mounts between the two rival squads, Carson falls for fellow cheerleader Penn, not realizing he's a Jet. When Brooke discovers the budding romance, she raises the stakes by challenging Carson to a one-on-one cheer-off. A spectacular "cheer fighting" sequence erupts into a no-holds-barred brawl and cheerleaders on both sides are suspended from the competition. With their dreams of taking home the top prize all but shattered, the leaders of both squads realize they'll have to take drastic measures to stay in the game. Written by Universal Pictures
This film essentially begins with an all-star cheerleading team from California named the West Coast Sharks traveling to the Summer Cheer Camp in Florida to compete against their bitter rival from New York known as the East Coast Jets in a contest for the national championship. Although the East Coast Jets have beaten the West Coast Sharks three times in a row, the captain of the Sharks named "Carson" (Ashley Benson) is determined to win this time. Naturally, the captain of the Jets by the name of "Brooke" (Cassandra Scerbo) is equally determined to beat the Sharks. But what neither of them realize is that another team known as the Flamingoes has suddenly emerged with a lineup that appears to better than either of them. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, even though the similarity to West Side Story was quite obvious at the start, the film then shifted into something quite different around the midpoint with interpersonal drama giving way to increased dancing and acrobatics. Unfortunately, what was absent from this sports-comedy was any noticeable humor and that seriously affected this film as a whole. And it's because of this rather glaring omission that I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.