Movie Review: High School Musical 3

“I wish you would all slow down… nothing is slowing down.”

Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay, Kelsi, Taylor, and Chad get to graduate on the big screen in the latest installment of the popular Disney television movie series. An incredibly positive, even Utopian, New Mexico high school is the setting for a one hour and 52 minute story where everything is immaculately staged and colorful except maybe for Ryan’s truck. Screenwriter Peter Barsocchini sets up the vibrant and immaculately clean scene sequences while musical veteran director Kenny Ortega orchestrates them.

From the basketball beginning to exterior graduation ceremony complete with “roller coaster” dance choreography, the high end production comes through, as well as some high quality songs. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens again headline as the school’s famous romantic couple Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez. “Kids we used to pass in the hall are now friends,” says Troy as the couple’s popularity soars to new highs. This couple has a real emotional attachment with the audience while harmonizing well in the music sequences, especially during a rooftop dance number soaked in sunshine, as most of the exterior scenes are. Rising star Efron shines in decent dance numbers including a “pressure rock” song with rotating settings inside the school. Look for collaboration between Efron and Ortega in the Footloose musical update in 2010.

Living Barbie doll stereotype Sharpay Evans, played by Ashley Tisdale, and her twin brother Ryan, played by Lucas Brabell, get a grand musical number where they fantasize about their future dreams. This time the tame confrontations include Sharpay outing Vanessa’s deep dark secret of… advanced academic honors (gasp). “The only thing holding her back would be you,” Sharpay says to Troy.

Corbin Bleu plays Troy’s best friend Chad and Monique Coleman plays academic student Taylor. Chad gives Ryan honest advice about his emotional swings (“when you do a show you become five people”) and his relationship with Gabriella (“she’s one step ahead as usual and you have to snap out of it”). Troy and Chad share a syncopated number at a salvage yard where they relive eight-year-old play days with rolling tires and echoes of Michael Jackson.

Article Author: Tall Writer

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