Game-faced, focused, creative and determined with a well-warranted chip on her shoulder: That sums up East Compton High School cheerleading captain, Isis (Gabrielle Union), the anti-hero from competitive cheer film, Bring It On.
Tucked away in the urban ‘hoods of Los Angeles’ outskirts, Isis and her rhythmic, athletic squad were creating championship-caliber cheer routines. Only flawed by finances, their school did not possess the funds needed to compete for a national title.
Rancho Carne High School, however, had plenty to spend on their spirit squad. On the other hand, their cheerleaders lacked the proper choreographed spirit. So, unbeknownst to the team, their captain, Big Red (Lindsay Sloane) stole them some from East Compton. Her pillage led them to five national titles. The Compton girls wanted her head, a very angered Isis wanted to fairly win the trophy in front of a worldwide audience, and rub in their faces the fact Compton was always best.
Isis confronted Carne’s new captain, Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), during a Rancho home football game. Not long after, Compton was gifted a trip to the tile matchup which officially put their rivals on notice. Mutual respect was eventually forged both captains before their routine clash. Isis didn’t smile, though; she showed her teeth. She didn’t talk; she barked. She spoke, captained, and cheered with the same scorching aggression throughout the film. Wronged or not, you either liked her or you didn’t.
Bring It On has reached a 20-year milestone of continued relevance. Released in August of 2000, the late-summer hit remains a favorite today. It is to cheerleaders what Caddyshack is to golfers, or Field of Dreams to baseball players.
Among its cast of color characters, no nonsense dark horse Isis still stands out. She may have come off overly stern to some audience members, but to others she’s more a realistic role model than her flipping, twisting, ever-smiling adversaries or her freaking, booty popping, ready-to-fight team mates. |THIS
[Written by Mr. Joe Walker | Follow THIS on Twitter @THISENT1]
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