Movie Review: Disney's High School Musical

The Disney Channel used to be a place where you could watch positive programming without feeling your IQ slip. As I grew up, the shows seemed all over the place and way too eager to make themselves wholesome. High School Musical is Disney on Detox, a TV movie able to preach its positive values and not be completely irritating by song’s end.

The story is classic high school movie material.

At a New Year’s Eve Party, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) find themselves singing together during a karaoke event. Connections are made, sparks fly, and the possibility of love throws lumps into their throats. Later on, Gabriella becomes an academic genius, while Troy becomes a basketball captain.

When Gabriella’s mother transfers her to East High School, it turns out Troy is their basketball captain. As she attempts to spend more time with Troy, Gabriella also attempts to separate herself from the nerd stigma placed upon her. But their love for singing will burn inside of them as they both wind up in detention preparing the school play, lead by the school’s strict theater director, Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed).

During the audition process, Troy and Gabriella both sneak in to hear the contenders. The competition isn’t really much, and it appears that the leads will go to Sharpay and Ryan Evans (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel) who are the resident snooty popular kids of East High. Eagerness brings Troy and Gabriella back into the spotlight as they sing for the play, and win the callback next to Sharpay and Ryan.

Knowing their stock in the school theater will suddenly head south, the pair scheme to break them up and out of the play. Making matters worse, Troy’s jock friends and Gabriella’s nerd clique are just as eager to break them up for fear of rocking the boat. Chaos ensues, and they eventually break up the team of Troy and Gabriella.

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Article Author: Matthew Milam

Matthew Milam lives in Chicago, IL. You can reach me at mmilam@matthewmilam.com. You can also reach me on Twitter.

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  • 1 - Carli

    Apr 05, 2006 at 9:56 pm

    I really liked this movie!!! It's my favorite movie of all times, and I've seen it at least 50 times. The music is awesome, and the movie is great, so if you buy this, you'll never regret it!!! :D

  • 2 - Lindzey

    Apr 07, 2006 at 2:11 pm

    i Love High School MUsical and Zac Efron with all my heart and soul. It is the best movie on the face of this planet. I love all the songs. I know all the lines and all the words to the songs. My friends and I sometimes act out the movie because we taped it on DVR. I marked on my calender when it comes out on DVD because I just can't wait!!! Zac Efron is a major hottie!!!

  • 3 - Lindzey

    Apr 07, 2006 at 2:17 pm

    EVeryone is my school thinks I'm sooo obsessed with High School Musical. It is probaly tru. I made three shirts with my best friend Carrie. SHe loves this movie just as much as I do. We made our own Troy Bolton jersey. We made a shirt with all the songs from High School Muscial and on the front of my shirt it says,"HSM ROX". It is the coolest shirt. Also, the last one is the best. There is 22 lines from the movie that we crack up about. Then on the front of the shirt it has a picture of Troy and Gabriella. I definately am going to see High School Musical on tour. It will be the best thing in my life. We watch the movie practically every day. I told my friend Carrie about the movie like 8 times after I saw the movie. THen, she was hooked on the movie soo much. We are in love with Zac Efron and can't get enough of him. She tried to send a comment but it didn't work. Well, I have to go watch High School Musical with Carrie and then send Zac a letter from his biggest fan. Me!!!

  • 4 - Lindzey

    Apr 07, 2006 at 2:17 pm

    EVeryone is my school thinks I'm sooo obsessed with High School Musical. It is probaly tru. I made three shirts with my best friend Carrie. SHe loves this movie just as much as I do. We made our own Troy Bolton jersey. We made a shirt with all the songs from High School Muscial and on the front of my shirt it says,"HSM ROX". It is the coolest shirt. Also, the last one is the best. There is 22 lines from the movie that we crack up about. Then on the front of the shirt it has a picture of Troy and Gabriella. I definately am going to see High School Musical on tour. It will be the best thing in my life. We watch the movie practically every day. I told my friend Carrie about the movie like 8 times after I saw the movie. THen, she was hooked on the movie soo much. We are in love with Zac Efron and can't get enough of him. She tried to send a comment but it didn't work. Well, I have to go watch High School Musical with Carrie and then send Zac a letter from his biggest fan. Me!!!

  • 5 - Tori

    Apr 11, 2006 at 4:48 pm

    i loved ypur movie me and my best friend wach it all the time and we know every word to every song it rocks

  • 6 - Alexa [Zac Efron Lover {Vanessa Hudgsens hater}

    Apr 12, 2006 at 2:46 pm

    this movie was off the hook!!!!!!!!!!

    it would have been way beter if Little Miss Perfect,I'm All That,Girl [Vanessa Anne Hudgsens] WAS NOT in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    She RUINS all of it!!!!!!!!!!
    She SUCKS at acting!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 7 - sydney

    Apr 12, 2006 at 7:39 pm

    I loved your movie all pepol were great. your movie made me think about the world. Zac if you think everybody likes you think again. Not in a bad way. I would do anything to see you stars.

  • 8 - Julia

    Apr 13, 2006 at 9:50 am

    What do you mean Elexa #6?You are stupid to the point that you think that Venessa Anne Hudgens sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Wow,you're REALLY jelous!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 9 - Mike

    Apr 13, 2006 at 10:07 am

    Well I say to all you foolish girls out there 2 things.
    1.The I love Zac club is working overtime!!!!!
    2.I saw complaints about Vennesa Anne Hudgens and kissy faces on Zac Efron.What happened to the love of my life Ashley Tisdale and my worst enemy Lucas Grabeel.And since there is a love Zac club,why not there be a love Ashley Tisdale club?!

  • 10 - Emma

    Apr 13, 2006 at 3:56 pm

    I love this movie!!!!!!!!!! It is definatley the best movie i have ever seen. Its so big that the soundtrack made it to #1 on billboard charts and its probably the most popular movie in the country. I also love Zac Efron and i have seen the movie 21 times cuz i taped it. lol. They are making a sequel where i heard zac is supposed to get a job over the summer as a lifeguard. HOTTNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, Alexa, you are so wrong because Vanessa Anne Hudgens and Zac Efron make a great team and no one could have done it better. And their voices fit perfectly with eachothers. I can't wait to see the sequel. Tomorrow, April 14th, at 10:00 p.m Zac will be on Regis and Kelly so watch it!!!!!!!!!!

  • 11 - jj sde

    Apr 14, 2006 at 9:42 am

    I love high school musical

  • 12 - jerral sharpe

    Apr 14, 2006 at 9:45 am

    high school musical is cool I have A movie to the sex show

  • 13 - katrisha mcclure

    Apr 14, 2006 at 6:03 pm

    Dear disney channel I love the boy that plays troy boltin on high school muscial.The girl that plays gabrelea montez she is very pretty and I, now most all people say this but i am your biggest fan.

    [Personal contact info deleted]

    send me a picture of all of you most the boy that plays troy boltin and the girl that plays gabrelea montez well i have to go see you later.

  • 14 - Linda

    Apr 14, 2006 at 11:24 pm

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE! Its a movie where I cant get sick of it! It shows us to follow your hearts. As long as your heart lays with Zac Efron! Im more in love with Zac Efron then the movie! By,the way Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens belong together,either that or him and Ashley Tisdale!

  • 15 - Joshua Lopez

    Apr 15, 2006 at 2:05 am

    When Zacc Effron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens where singing Breaking Free it was a MIRCLE.

  • 16 - zac efron

    Apr 15, 2006 at 12:56 pm

    wow u guyz i read everything and ive heard zac
    is ahottie a lot well love to all my fans BYE!

  • 17 - zac efron

    Apr 15, 2006 at 12:59 pm

    ohh and lindzay cool t shirt

  • 18 - Venessa Anne Hudgens

    Apr 15, 2006 at 1:09 pm

    From reading all this,I now know that I am REALLY,REALLY pretty!THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 19 - sofia

    Apr 15, 2006 at 1:13 pm

    Lind,Zac and ashley can't get together for 2 reasons.
    1.I thought you want him!
    2.ashley is 21 but Zac is only 19!She is an older women!

  • 20 - Linda

    Apr 15, 2006 at 1:14 pm

    You mean Linda!?

  • 21 - sofia

    Apr 15, 2006 at 5:57 pm

    Yeah.

  • 22 - Emily

    Apr 16, 2006 at 6:08 pm

    high school musical is a very cool movie. probably the best one ever on disney channel hey zak and vennesa if your reading this. ive always wanted to be in a movie and i take acting lessons so if you would be kind enough just write something back and see what you could do thanx and it would mean the world to me

  • 23 - Samantha

    Apr 16, 2006 at 11:56 pm

    I love high school musical i know all the songs by heart also i am your biggest fan ashly and vannessa are u and zac together vannessa answer back soon

  • 24 - samantha

    Apr 17, 2006 at 12:02 am

    dont listen to number 6 on this list

  • 25 - Victor Plenty

    Apr 17, 2006 at 12:22 am

    Only number 6?

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