WARNING: This review may contain spoilers. High School Musical 2 will air on Disney Friday evening, August 17, 2007.
Soon Disney's long-awaited sequel to High School Musical, High School Musical 2, will air for millions of viewers of all ages. The original movie drew about 7.8 million viewers and I think it is safe to say the sequel will easily top that number.
My daughters, ages 4 and 7, were late-comers to the original High School Musical movie. We first saw the movie in February of 2007 through the "On Demand" video service of our cable TV system. Personally, I never intended to really watch the whole video, but found myself drawn in by the story, the characters, and the wonderful music, which kicks off within minutes of the video's start.
High School Musical is charming, fun, energetic, wholesome, and entertaining from beginning to end. Not only do we now own the DVD, we purchased the movie on iTunes and the album as well. Now my oldest is planning a HSM party for her birthday this coming January.
So, while I welcomed the thought of a sequel, I also had my doubts. Sometimes you just get lucky with a movie. You come up with a concept, sell it, produce it, air it and suddenly realize that it has that unique mix of elements that makes it an instant classic.
So what do you do when the green light comes for another movie? Try as hard as you can to capture all the same elements as before and hope it works again.
Unfortunately, the sequel tries too hard. It will not live up to the expectations of fans, though many of those fans will love this sequel anyway.
The story picks up at the tail-end of the same school year in which the original movie left off. It is one minute until school ends for the summer and anticipation builds by the second.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - A Sort-Of Concerned Citizen
I saw this tonight with my little sister. It all seemed kind of fake to me . . . whereas in the original they had a lot more genuinity. Hopefully they'll be able to recapture the genuinity they had in the first movie in the third one.
2 - David Flanagan
Thanks for your comment. I think my wife made a good point the other day when she said that, for the first "High School Musical," you had a story with really good music woven into it. In "High School Musical 2," she felt that the story was woven around the music.
I think she may have a good point and, if she's write, there is a major part of the problem. If you can weave a story around some good music, you have a decent movie. If you can weave good music around a good story, you have a classic.
And that might just be the difference.
3 - Jonathan Keilholz
Nice review. I like how you're able to review movies without tearing apart everything, which is what a lot of reviewers do if they don't like the movie.
But I definitely agree. It was enjoyable and fun, but probably not Emmy-award-winning material quite this time.
4 - 360boii
i was really let down on this one. but not expecting too much. comparing the prerelease of HSM2 to HSM1, u can tell how much disney is starting to milk this movie series.
the songs where just the same as the 1st one, the story was wasn't the most compelling at best and the acting was really cheesey in my opnion. ino people will still enjoy this one but i dont think it lived up to all the hype.
stay tuned for the downfall of the HSM franchise when disney attempts to bring it to the big screen, fall of 2008.
5 - Ms. Bernstein
After directing the stage version of High School Musical this past Spring-I was anxious to see High School Musical2. The performers are vibrant and talented, however, I don't think that the score in this new version can compete with the first movie. The group numbers are not there in terms of sound, choreography and excitement-the storyline begins with too much focus on Sharpay's issues-I think that we could have handled a deeper look at some of the other characters-I was glad that they featured Ryan and Chad a bit more-still could have had more moments-Zac Efron is an exciting new performer and will be a hugh STAR especially with his up and coming role as the lead in the remake of FOOTLOOSE. I was trying to imagine HSM2 as a live stage version-I'm not sure it would be as appealing as the first movie version. Everything aside, HSM is a brilliant example of great concept, marketing, and hey, how can you go wrong with the Disneyesque fireworks at the end of HSM2.
6 - roxy
it's an o.k movie not better than the first one
7 - roxy ann
I think that they shouldn't make the mistake of taking high school musical 3 to the big screen.I also think that they over did it on the dance numbers it was a little too much for me and i'm sorry.still its a great flim and younger kids will still love it.I know I do.
8 - Nader Ghali
I was disappointed. This version of HSM is overkill. Whereas the first film builds to a crescendo both in storyline and dance numbers, this film hits you with the big musical numbers right from the start; some of the beginning sequences matched the intensity of the ending sequences of HSM 1. There was not a single song I liked, and the movie was overacted. Everything about this film was "over". Even the colors looked oversaturated--fake as a matter of fact. Surprisingly, however, my 9 year old son liked this film better than HSM 1. Why? He said the first one was "too boring"! Maybe I'm just too old...)
9 - Hannah Smith
HSM2 was like totally the same as HSM2. Both of Gabrella's solos had the same concept in both movies. I was glad that Chad and Ryan were in the movie more...but they could have been in more still. Some dance moves were cheesey and gay and could be better. The kissing seen was just like the one in the Cinderella Story...they kiss and it starts raining or in this case the sprinklers come on...i mean come on, that is so overused. when me and my friends were watching it together we all wer in hystarics during the song when gabrella dumped troy and quit...they were trying so hard to have it sad it made us laugh. During the movie it felt like i was watching the first one. I mean, i liked it but it was totally the same as the first one. could b better
10 - Sara
Totally gay and made me sleep. a disapointment to me and my 3 younger sisters. i think HSM2 will lose quite a few fans.
11 - Kelly
Both my family and I are fans of the first movie. But I'm disappointed with the second! The songs are forgettable (the opposite of the first movie). The physical activity between the two main characters is a bit too much for the minds of younger children (after working in a summer camp this year it became obvious to me that the younger children are a huge percentage if not the primary group making up the viewing audience). It's a poor comparison to the first.
12 - britt
it was a great movie!
i loved it ... great
songs and catchy movie
its not gay?
13 - Lindsay
I don`t know what`s going through your guy`s heads.. I loved the movie , it was amazing .
( L )
14 - HmM
The first one was deff. better then the 2nd. But thats how most movies are when they make a second one. They try and over due it and it fails, was it good, not so much. Was it horrible, not so much. I think they made Ashley Tisdale just a little bit to much over the top. And once again she loses in the end.. same as last movie swich it up a little in the 3rd one (if there really making one). Best songs were Bet on it and I dont dance. Faboulous was ok and the one where Gab. sings to Troy breaking up was ok. I'll give the movie a C- and 1st move a A
15 - Jess
I agree with Kelly in saying that the songs were forgettable, unlike the first movie. The movie's songs sounded more like a pop CD than a musical ("Bet on It" comes to mind).
I think the problem was this sequel was just too overwhelming and complicated. The songs in the first HSM were just the right amount of repetitive, that was why they were so catchy. HSM's storyline was also simple and easy to follow, while HSM 2 tried to create complex problems for each of the characters, causing the plot to jumble around from problem to problem. However, no problems had even emerged until about a half hour into the movie.
16 - Mommymunn
I too watched the movie last night with my children. I was looking forward to it as much as they were! I do think the first movie was better but enjoyed this one, too! We loved the baseball song/dance routine. The dancing/choreography was fantastic!
17 - mariam
I thought the movie was cute in some ways. The golf scene with Sharpay was really entertaining in the way she couldn't hit a ball. It was too complex for younger kids. I don't think HSM3 will be a big hit in theaters because this one did not keep people watching. I'm sure I will still see it though.
18 - Ricky
I don't know what these people are thinking. The movie was absolutely brilliant and way better than the first. I do admit it started off a little funny but the last half of the movie was great. I would have liked it to be longer also. Too short.
19 - casey
Way too much focus on Sharpay. A little of her one dimensional personality goes a long way. I thought the choreography was quite inventive - kudos to Ortega once again. The story, however, did not draw me in and whereas I was humming several songs from the HSM1, I couldn't recall a single one. I do think the Music in You was a nice ballad and Gabriella's rendition of the parting song to Troy was probably the most believable acting bit. Would rather have seen HSM2 remain in school. The country club setting did nothing to warm me to the story or characters.
20 - Amalthea
The singing had seemed somewhat... FAKE. They looked like they were lip-synching... and they probably were. They could have worked better at it, at least.
Additionally, the songs were just... (I won't say they weren't memorable, as I kept hearing the songs repeating annoyingly in my head after the movie)... the songs did not have a very... good tune that I could actually follow and dance to. The only song that I felt was any good was 'You Are The Music In Me.' And even that sounded robotic.
21 - Madison
of course there were some corny scenes and some bad dance moves, but that has to be expected with any disney movie. but even with that said, i was a bit dissapointed... they were trying too hard to make the movie just as good as the first, and i think this is one of those movies where it isn't going to happen. the plot was confusing for young kids, the songs were not as good, and they tried to add way too much into a movie that is not even two hours.
22 - Genevieve
My sister and I have been singing along to HSM1 songs ever since we saw the movie...unfortunately the songs from HSM2 were not nearly as catchy and were way too techno/pop. The plot was cluttered and although there were a few funny parts it did not come close to being as memorable as the first...HSM1 was the type of movie you could watch again and again and still be entertained, this one well, once was enough!
23 - David Flanagan
Thank you everyone for the comments. I think the overall pattern here is that people enjoyed the sequel but not as much as the first movie.
I also see that some of you who seem to be in your teen years and are a bit more sophisticated seemed disappointed. I thought that would be the case.
My two daughters are young, 4 and 7, and they loved the sequel. But their less concerned with the storyline and more focused on basic elements of the movie, as well as the music.
Parents who watched with their kids probably can keep this all in better perspective. It is very hard to produce a sequel when the original HSM movie was so incredibly good.
Just as I mention in my article above, sometimes something extra special comes along, which is exactly what HSM is.
Regards,
David
24 - sara
I actually really liked the movie. it was much more sophisticated and i like that. I cried when they kissed. it was so sweet. i love the music. I wish they had Humuhumunukunukua'pua'a. I love that song. But my favorite had to be Everyday.
25 - roxy ann
I'm 18 and i saw the movie again yesterday and the song that just won't get out of my head is,you are the music in me.The rest of the songs are o.k but forgetable.I'm relly excited to see High school musical 3,and if thats not a hit than I must be from anoter plant or somthing!
come on people high school Musicl 2 was o.k ,they should have made the movie just a little bit longer.