Feel The Noise

Rob (Omarion, formerly of boy band B2K) is a young rapper from New York who tries to steal some hubcaps in order to make money for a music contest. When it turns out that the car belongs to a big time neighbourhood thug, Rob’s mom sends him off to Puerto Rico to live with his estranged father, where his mind is blown by Reggaeton music and of course, a cute girl (Zulay Henao). This rushed set-up promises Fresh Prince meets 8 Mile with hot Latin beats but instead delivers a plodding story that’s not nearly as exciting as the music at its core. A good urban musical needn’t stray too far from the genre’s formulaic structure to be enjoyable, as long as it keeps its focus on the music. Unfortunately, Feel the Noise includes precious little actual Reggaeton, though a few club performances by stars such as Alexis Y Fido and Voltio do pop up here and there. Born-again Reggaeton pioneer Vico C even gets a cameo as a small-time thug. When Rob and his newfound Puerto Rican stepbrother decide to write a song together, a series of predictable plot twists are set in motion, culminating in a tepid emotional climax at the New York City Puerto Rican parade. The film’s weirdest conceit seems to be that even in 2007, Reggaeton beats are too crazy and out there for non-Puerto Ricans (young rappers and lame record producers alike) to wrap their minds around. The DVD includes a few trailers and a brief "making of” documentary that hammers home the film’s message — that dreams are free, and that it is important to dream them "out loud,” whatever that means. A short doc about Reggaeton also accompanies the film, providing a quick and superficial history lesson on the genre. Footage of actual musicians is needlessly interspersed with interviews with the film’s actors, none of whom have anything insightful to say.