Why So Blu?

Bring It On (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

When Bring It On burst into theaters in 2000, few expected a teen cheerleading comedy to become a pop culture touchstone. But 25 years later, it’s clear the film not only brought it, it stayed. Directed by Peyton Reed and written by Jessica Bendinger, Bring It On did more than showcase high-flying stunts and fierce rivalries—it tapped into larger conversations about race, privilege, and identity, all while keeping us entertained with whip-smart dialogue and cheer-worthy performances.

Film  

Spirit Fingers and Squad Goals

Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) is a senior at the ultra-competitive Rancho Carne High School in San Diego. Newly elected captain of the cheerleading squad, she quickly learns that her team’s award-winning routines were stolen from the Clovers, a Black cheer squad from East Compton led by the razor-sharp Isis (Gabrielle Union).

What unfolds is a story of reckoning, reinvention, and a fight for authenticity as both teams prepare to face off at the national championships.

A Cast That Brings It

Kirsten Dunst perfectly embodies Torrance’s evolution—from naive cheer queen to self-aware leader. Her comedic timing and earnestness anchor the film.

Gabrielle Union delivers a career-defining performance. As Isis, she’s confident, cool, and commands the screen. Her presence alone gave Bring It On a layer of gravitas missing in most teen comedies of the era.

Jesse Bradford as Cliff provides the alternative love interest we didn’t know we needed—equal parts sarcastic and sweet, complete with a mixtape moment that became iconic in early 2000s cinema.

Cheer Puns with a Side of Real Talk

Jessica Bendinger’s script is sharp, subversive, and endlessly quotable. (“This is not a democracy, it’s a cheerocracy!”) It also bravely tackles cultural appropriation and systemic inequality without losing its light-hearted tone—a balance that’s rarely pulled off in teen fare.

Peyton Reed’s direction brings a slick, energetic style that borrows from music videos and sports montages, keeping the pacing tight and the stakes feeling real—even if they’re about pyramids and pom-poms.

More Than Just a Cheer Movie

At first glance, Bring It On might seem like a frothy teen flick, but it has earned its place in the cultural canon. It opened up conversations about representation and appropriation long before those topics became mainstream in Hollywood.

It also flipped the script on the genre by centering competitive cheerleading as an athletic, strategic, and high-stakes world—something rarely shown on screen with seriousness or respect.

And let’s be honest: the Clovers’ final routine? Still unmatched.

What’s Aged Well (and What Hasn’t)

Looking back, much of Bring It On holds up surprisingly well—especially considering it arrived at the height of early 2000s teen movie mania. Its sharp critique of cultural appropriation, woven into a story that still manages to be fun and high-energy, is one of its greatest strengths. Gabrielle Union’s portrayal of Isis remains a standout, delivering poise, power, and purpose in every scene. The film’s empowerment arc, not just for Torrance but for both cheer squads, still resonates today. And let’s not forget the soundtrack—a time capsule of alt-pop gems that instantly transports you back to that era.

However, not everything has aged as gracefully. Some of the slang and humor feel dated, particularly moments that rely on body shaming or stereotypes that were more acceptable in the early 2000s but now come across as tone-deaf. There’s also the issue of depth—or lack thereof—given to the Clovers outside of Isis. While the film clearly positions them as the moral center, it doesn’t give enough screen time or character development to their squad beyond that single dimension.

Even so, the core of the film still feels relevant. Its willingness to challenge the status quo—wrapped in glitter and sass—continues to set it apart from many of its peers.

Why Bring It On Still Deserves the Trophy

Bring It On remains a defining teen film not just because of its choreography or its iconic lines, but because it dared to be more. Underneath the glitter and midriff-baring uniforms is a thoughtful film about competition, ethics, and empowerment.

Two and a half decades later, its cheers still echo—and yes, they still matter.

Video

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

HDR: Dolby Vision

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail: Bring It On does a backhand spring onto 4K UHD Blu-ray courtesy of Shout Studios with a clean, filmic 4K transfer.  Approved by director Peyton Reed, the film has had a spotty reputation on disc with a decent DVD when it was a new film and a middling Blu-ray  in 2014. Now, thanks to a new transfer, we get a clean new standard.  While there isn’t a new tack sharp image to behold, the healthy grain layer and sunny color palette lend themselves very well to 4K. Textures are just right with nothing looking bizarre or out of control. This is a very worthy and wonderful upgrade to a fan favorite comedy!

Depth: Movement and foreground and background composition is given excellent treatment in 4K.  The overall look of interiors and exteriors as the camera pans, characters move or focus moves in and out all work well with the new resolution.

Black Levels: Black levels are better than ever, never going too deep but not looking ashen or dull. Just right is what I’d say.

Color Reproduction: Colors are bright and sunny.  One could say candy coated. The reds of the Toros uniforms clash with the green Clovers uniforms and they truly pop.  Sunny blue skies are pretty and school or home interiors have nice palettes as well. Occasional color issues pop up in some outdoor shots but those seem to be baked into the scenes they inhabit.

Skin Tones: California kissed white skin looks lovely and natural while beautiful black and latin skin looks perfect too.

Noise/Artifacts: None, unless you hate a typical late 90’s/early 2000’s grain pattern.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo

Subtitles: English SDH

Dynamics: To my ears, the audio featured here is either the same as Universal’s Blu-ray, or is simply a subtle remix of it.  The dynamics are perfect for a movie of this vintage.  Bass is pitch perfect for the soundtrack cues, especially in the competition scene.  Beyond that, the film doesn’t call for much weight.  Surrounds are great for crowd and ambient noise, and dialogue is always in place with nothing sounding odd in the mix.

Height: N/A

Low Frequency Extension: Bass shows up for music cues, score, some stomping on occasion, but not much else, and that’s just fine for a film like this.

Surround Sound Presentation: Surround channels are for ambience, for crowds cheering and for the competition announcer to echo around the room.  Aside from a few badly aged crowd sound placements, everything is as it should be.

Dialogue: Nice and clear all the way through!

Extras

Extras for Shout Studios’ new edition of Bring It On actually take away a couple of small extras included on the menu-free Universal disc. If you’re a Bring It On super-fan, you may want to hang onto that disc. The release comes with a bundled Blu-ray and a basic slipcover.

Bonus Materials:

• Audio Commentary by Peyton Reed
• “Spotlight On Location: The Making of Bring It On”
• Wardrobe and Makeup Tests
• Deleted Scenes
• Extended Scene
• Theatrical Trailer

Summary

Bring It On was a huge movie for teens and younger adults in 2000.  It was an early DVD in my collection, and a constant quotable for me as a young queer teen.  Watching the film in 2025, I still get those laughs, and despite some things not aging well, the film’s vintage charms still resonate.  Shout Studios has delivered a solid new presentation, and aside from the removal of a couple of minuscule extras, there’s nothing to stop fans from bringing the Toros into their 4K atmosphere! “Gosh, oh wow, like totally freak me out, I mean, right on, this 4K sure is #1!”

Get a copy of Bring It On in 4K HERE