Fans Celebrate the 20 Year Anniversary of the Iconic ‘Bring It On’
The cult classic turned 20 years old, and fans are celebrating the iconic cheer movie.
When you think of the teen cult classics of the early 2000s, you may think of films like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Mean Girls and The Princess Diaries but one movie that has stood the test of time is Peyton Reed’s Bring It On which celebrates 20 years since its debut, August 25, 2000.
The film, written by Jessica Bendinger, was a huge hit and brought about five sequels, none of which had the same success or starred any of the original characters. The film taught us what “Cheerocracy” was and showed us how to use our “spirit fingers”; it also gave us memorable performances by Eliza Dushku and Gabrielle Union.
Happy 20 yr anniversary to #BringItOn!!! I couldn’t imagine my childhood without it pic.twitter.com/anOvolPq3t
— Unapologetically black (@_Kclowe) August 25, 2020
The classic is a plucky teen comedy that still tackles the not-so-funny issue of cultural appropriation without sacrificing the story’s jokes and catchy one-liners. This look at the issue is still prevalent to this day, and some say the creators were way ahead of their time. It took a theme that we see too often in real life culture and entertainment, ideas, and concepts created by people of color and brought to fame and prominence by non-people of color.
20 years later, no fictional movie has treated the theme of cultural appropriation as brilliantly as #BringItOn.
— R. E. (@RDot325) August 22, 2020
While the Rancho Carne Toros were the main squad of the movie, the plot gives the audience a peek into the struggle of a predominately Black team, the East Compton Clovers, and what happens when the team’s routines are stolen. In a surprising turn, the main character Torrance Shipman, played by Kirsten Dunst, makes it her mission to right the wrongs of the captain who came before her.
#BringItOn is a cultural masterpiece, and one of the best movies ever made. Period. pic.twitter.com/XV1lgzzTBM
— Kathleen Garrity 👑 (@kgarrity) August 25, 2020
The creators of the film could have taken the easy road, showing Shipman attempting to fix the team’s mistake and then still going on to win the movie’s competition. But the Clovers got what so many creatives do not, justice and the recognition that they deserved, winning the competition that had been stolen from them for years before. This ending made the film stand out and is why it is still relatable twenty years later. Touching on topics of racial disparity, sexuality, and the competitive nature of the sport that is cheerleading, this movie will remain a classic for years to come.
