Cinema: A Rousing Big-Screen Finale
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR directed By Kenny Ortega
Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin
Bleu, Olesya Rulin, Monique Coleman
AFTER the smashing success of the first two television movies, Disney’s
High School Musical is back, but this time as a feature film.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (HSM 3) opens in cinemas worldwide tomorrow.
This time, America’s favourite high school students - Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad and Taylor - are in their senior year.
With a basketball championship, prom and a big spring musical featuring all the Wildcats, Troy (played by Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa
Hudgens) vow to make every moment last even though their dream to make it to college threatens their relationship.
A group of sophomore Wildcats contributes to the film’s great new music and dance numbers, which take advantage of the big screen.
There’s a plot twist with the East High team facing graduation and an uncertain future.
Even though they’re as predictable and squeaky-clean as ever, HSM 3 does deal with life’s hard questions (like being separated from your girlfriend).
With Disney’s usual high production standards and through-the-roof energy levels, the cast delivers a flawless performance in the various songs and dances.
The events in the movie and the students’ hopes and fears about their future provide enough material to drive the plot.
The songs are an engaging range of rock, rap and Broadway-style ballads. The choreographic high point is a rousing number in an auto junkyard.
The villain in the movie is provided by scheming rich girl Sharpay played by Ashley Tisdale, who hopes to usurp the place of Gabriella, both on- and
off-stage.
The movie’s choreography, now involving many more dancers, is impressive.
Despite the teen-oriented lyrics, they work well for the movie, especially the romantic ballads between Troy and Gabrielle accounting for the goofy-but-charming appeal of the show.
True, you can’t help but roll your eyes a little at the way the girls go crazy over Efron, or the way pretty Hudgen wows her audience.
They do make a good couple on screen, and you can’t help but feel the innocent love connection between these two.
New Straits Times