There’s hardly need for any introduction to the phenomenon that is High School Musical . But for the uninitiated, it revolves around the students at East High School and the movie is, well, a musical. Zac Efron plays star basketballer Troy Bolton, Vanessa Hudgens his math whiz girlfriend Gabriella and Ashley Tisdale the resident mean girl, Sharpay.
That’s pretty much all you need to know because none of us are watching High School Musical for its plot. In this third instalment, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Troy and gang are graduating and decide to put up a final stage production. Complications arise when Gabriella is accepted into Stanford University early, and leaves East High. Troy faces the dilemma of pleasing his father instead of following his own dreams and desires. Sharpay meanwhile, gets a personal assistant and is still intent on school domination.
The plot is predictable (and bordering on cheesy) but director-choreographer Kenny Ortega gets things going with brightly colored sets, a catchy soundtrack and high-energy dance routines — the very things that millions of children have loved High School Musical for, since the first movie in 2006.
Disney stars Efron, Hudgens and Tisdale do little more than repeat performances of their stilted acting in High School Musical 1 and 2. But there is little doubt this movie will propel them into a slew of teen flicks catered for the kids who adore them.
Like the stars of the show, High School Musical 3 lacks substance, but is pretty to look at and fun to watch. Plus, parents can heave a sigh of relief, knowing that there’s a movie their children can watch that does not follow Hollywood’s usual teen flick formula of sex and drugs. This movie will do the trick if you’re looking for a two hour long escape from reality.
