“Awesome, oh wow! Like, totally freak me out! I mean, right on! The Toros sure are number one!” How many times have you sung this to yourself? What about the film’s classic opening number: “I’m sexy, I’m cute, I’m popular to boot”? Peyton Reed’s “Bring It On” celebrates its 20 anniversary this year and the cheerleading teen comedy has achieved a cult following since its release and spawned a further five instalments in the series.

Kirsten Dunst stars as Torrance Shipman, the recently elected captain of the Toros cheerleading squad at the affluent Rancho Carne High School in San Diego, California. The football team sucks but their cheerleading team are five-time national champions and the true athletes of the school. As Torrance prepares her squad to battle for their sixth consecutive trophy, problems arise when she discovers that her predecessor (Lindsay Sloane as Big Red) has been stealing their dynamic routines from the primarily black squad, the East Compton Clovers, for years. Continue reading Retrospective Review: Bring it On