Sunday, October 26, 2008
A+E, Movies, Reviews

Hey kids, let’s put on a show!

‘High School Musical 3’ isn’t quite the head of the class

BY DAVID LEE SIMMONS

Kenny Ortega, the mastermind behind the Disney "High School Musical” phenomenon, has said that the source of inspiration for his movies is the old Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney musicals from the ’30s and ’40s. The simpler the better, it seems. “Kids are attracted by music and dance and a world of safety, connection bonds, friendship,” he said in a recent interview.

And that’s really all there is to “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” the big-screen sequel to the previous two mega-hit TV movies. The leap to the big screen might be the only difference here, at least in conception: There’s a musical to prepare for, sweethearts Troy and Gabriela have some issues to work out, siblings Sharpay and Ryan are trying to steal the show, and there are plenty of beautiful clothes to wear.

Are we missing anything? Well, maybe the most important thing: “HSM3” more than capably makes the transition to its more expansive surroundings, as safe and clean as Disney could possibly imagine—maybe too much so—but filled with a kind of unrepentant joy and charm that makes for satisfying entertainment for its target audience.

The songs are instantly hummable (if largely forgettable), snapping along to safe, hip-hop-lite beats underneath crisp melodies and sung by capable talents. Stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens have been down this road before, as has the supporting cast, and it’s clear they’ve prepared for this moment. Considering the movie’s title, this might be their “HSM” swan song, and they make the most of it.

Once again, Troy and Gabriela are at a crossroads. It’s their senior year, and they’re being forced to face uncertain futures that will probably take them to different schools in different parts of the country. Gabriela’s headed for Stanford, with an eye on law school. Troy, the school’s state-champion point guard, appears headed to the University of Albuquerque along with his backcourt mate, hoops-obsessed Chad (Corbin Bleu).

But Troy’s so good at musicals, someone secretly enters him in what appears to be an East Side High School-dominated competition for a single scholarship to Juilliard in New York City. One of four candidates—Troy, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) or Kelsi (Olesya Rulin)—will win the golden ticket. So should Troy be a star on the court or the stage? Decisions, decisions.

The best way to deal with all this, of course, is to stage a final, senior-year musical, and “HSM3” keeps things clicking along at a brisk pace by staging half of its production numbers as part of the senior-year show. The strategy pays off with some impressively choreographed numbers, and Ortega is wise to both incorporate Bob Fosse-like staging and have Sharpay reference the legend to show his hand. (It’s always kind to cite your sources.)

There’s something fairly safe in all this, which is the point with these productions. But in the leap to the big screen and even bigger audiences, it’s curious that Ortega isn’t just a little more daring. Admittedly, I saw “HSM3” within days of the vastly hipper and equally charming “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” The latter film also could have benefited from a little more zip, but at least it featured kids rocking to cool songs by indie artists, and enjoying smart dialogue with each other.

At the screening I attended, the little girls squealed at Efron as if on cue, and applauded after a few numbers, but not many. And the laughs were intermittent. They were entertained, to be sure. But considering this was Ortega’s big moment before the inevitable big-screen, cookie-cutter sequels, you have to wonder why he settled for simply graduating, and not going for valedictorian status. 3 STARS