FOR THOSE who have been living in a massive bubble and have not heard of the High School Musical films, a little explanation is necessary before stepping into the theatre.
The films, which are often described as a kind of modern day Romeo and Juliet, centre around two high school students from rival cliques, basketball star Troy Bolton and the shy transfer student Gabriella Montez.
The pair, who try out for the leads in the high school musical together, divide the school with their relationship while attempting to teach young viewers not to stick to the status quo.
Originally a Disney Channel Original Movie, the first two High School Musical flicks were made only for television, with the newest release High School Musical 3: Senior Year going to the big screen as a farewell gesture.
The realism of the films, however, is that nobodies high school year looked like this one, an ultimate Disney ideal which includes no sex, no drugs, and, well...no rock’n’roll.
The music in the newest HSM flick is the same cheesy pop-bop tunes and sappy power ballads that have been the foundation of this franchise and while it may sound like nails on a chalkboard to anyone with any taste in music the film will undoubtedly produce another hit album for the Disney music makers.
The dancing, however, is incredible, and somewhat nostalgic for those of us who grew up in the generation of Dirty Dancing and Footloose, both of which were choreographed by HSM3 director Kenny Ortega.
Keeping things fresh and new, the way only Disney can, three new younger characters are introduced in the film, undoubtedly the characters who will take over the screen presence in the just announced High School Musical 4. Whether they pull it off as genuinely sugary sweet as the original cast members is yet to be seen but the foundation is there for at least one more successful run if they manage it right.
Seeming much older than they were just two years ago when the original HSM was released, the original characters are starting to border on feeling too old to play the teenaged characters they portray.
It was time to take them out of their world of bubblegum perfection before it became (even more ) unrealistic. It was a fitting goodbye for a group of pretty boys and starlet girls who are undoubtedly just waiting for the chance to become Hollywood’s next big scandal.
I give them a year before one of them is in Playboy and the rest are in rehab, but for now, we’ll let them bask in the glory that for a few years they managed to successfully be idols to our children.
