Oct. 24 was the most anticipated day for “HSM” and Zac Efron fans as “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” made a grand leap from Disney Channel TV movies to the big screen.
But is “Senior Year” – the third installment of the “High School Musical” franchise – as thrilling and dazzling as fans expected?
While it kicks the music and dancing up two notches for the big screen debut, the movie lacks conflict and narrative. Yes, the main question of the film is whether basketball star Troy Bolton will follow his own dreams – and maintain his relationship with Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) in the process – but it misses fresh conflict. In the original film, the main conflict was centered on the East High students and their efforts to break free of typical high school stereotypes. In “High School Musical 2,” with college looming ahead and the stress of finding a job, Troy must decide between enjoying the present and getting caught up in the future. But in “Senior Year,” a fresh conflict was absent, and instead included subtle undertones of themes already presented in the original film.
What the movie lacked in terms of narrative content and conflict was compensated for by enhanced musical numbers, special effects and dance sequences. “I Want it All,” a fast-paced duet featuring Ryan and Sharpay Evans (Lucas Grabeel and Ashley Tisdale), cranks up the lights and colors to provide a flashy Broadway setting. The most original dance number in the film was “The Boys are Back,” in which best friends Troy and Chad relive their childhood days … in the middle of a dirty automobile junkyard.
Fans will be blown away by “A Night to Remember,” a high-energy dance number that focuses on prom: the dance sequences are incredible, with different types of dances (like the tango and waltz) all wrapped up in one song. The last song of the movie, “High School Musical,” is a fun way to conclude the series, complete with a Wildcat formation and a human roller coaster.
“Scream” is worth a notable mention as the most intense piece in the movie. Troy’s frustration reaches its pinnacle, and the song appropriately takes place during a lightning storm. Overall, the songs were catchy, the dance numbers were enjoyable and the main actors’ characters – from Efron’s dazzling eyes to Hudgens’ sweet, wispy smile – continued to light up the stage.
“High School Musical 3: Senior Year” will please the series’ fans and cater to frenzied Efron aficionados, but is not likely to capture audiences new to the “HSM” phenomenon. The movie’s shallow plot is slightly disappointing, but enhanced dance numbers and iPod-worthy pop songs are guaranteed pleasers. The original film might be the best in terms of a solid mixture of conflict, singing and dancing, but the third movie will leave you in the “HSM” world with Troy, Gabriella and the rest of the Wildcats, unable to jump back into reality when the two hours of fluff and fun are done.
