Reviews for the film have been largely mixed to negative, often highlighting the struggle to balance the franchise's roots with its new horror identity.
: The film uniquely integrates cheerleading into its survival mechanics, with characters using their acrobatic skills and cheer implements like crossbows and pom-poms to fight back. Bring It On: Cheer or Die (2022)
The film (2022) marks a radical departure for the long-running Bring It On franchise , pivoting from high-energy sports comedy into the realm of the teen slasher . This seventh installment follows the Diablos cheer squad, led by Abby (Kerri Medders) and McKayla (Tiera Skovbye), as they defy school safety bans to practice forbidden stunts in an abandoned high school on Halloween weekend. Genre Reinvention: From Spirit to Slasher Reviews for the film have been largely mixed
: The film received praise for its inclusive representations , featuring a diverse cast across races and sexual orientations, as well as likable performances from its young leads. This seventh installment follows the Diablos cheer squad,
: Many critics from IGN and elsewhere noted the evident low budget, which constrained the scale of stunts and gore.
: The narrative is anchored by a past tragedy where a cheerleader fell to her death during a sabotaged stunt twenty years prior.
While previous entries focused on cutthroat rivalries and social commentary, Cheer or Die embraces horror tropes by pitting the squad against a masked killer—specifically, their own .