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"SKY HIGH" (2005) (Michael Angarano, Kurt Russell) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Minor Moderate Minor Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Mild None Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Minor Minor Moderate Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: The son of two superhero parents begins a special high school where he's assigned to the "loser" sidekick class, but soon learns that he has superpowers, which he uses to vanquish super-villains, and save the school and his parents. PLOT: Will Stronghold (MICHAEL ANGARANO) is the son of famous superheroes Commander Stronghold (KURT RUSSELL) and Josie Jetstream (KELLY PRESTON). They expect him to carry on their tradition, and he's been afraid to tell them he has no superpowers, pretending he lifts heavy weights in his bedroom. On the first day of high school, his secret is revealed, and Coach Boomer (BRUCE CAMPBELL) assigns Will to the "hero support" class, taught by Mr. Boy (DAVE FOLEY) and considered second rate compared to the heroes' class. Here he meets and bonds with fellow sidekicks: Ethan (DEE JAY DANIELS) who can turn into a puddle of goop, Zach (NICHOLAS BRAUN) who can glow, and Magenta (KELLY VITZ) who can shape-shift into a guinea pig. Though he is supported by best friend and next door neighbor Layla (DANIELLE PANABAKER), as well as his fellow sidekicks, Will feels like a failure, until Student Body President Gwen (MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD) takes an interest in him. She's especially enchanted when Will gets into a fight with sullen fire-starter Warren Peace (STEVEN STRAIT), son of a hero mother and a villain father (who was caught by Commander Stronghold); at this moment, Will is so upset that his superpowers emerge. He uses his super-strength to beat Warren and two other bullies, Lash (JAKE SANDVIG) and Speed (WILL HARRIS). Though Principal Powers (LYNDA CARTER) puts Will and Warren in detention and Josie worries that he's "nearly destroyed the cafeteria," Commander Stronghold is thrilled that his son has finally come into his own. Now Will has to make choices, between his sidekick friends and the Gwen's fashionable crowd. He learns the hard way that superficial attractions and popularity do not make for lasting friendships or loyalties. At the same time, super-villains are plotting to take over the school at the Homecoming Dance. The big showdown involves a ray gun that zaps its targets into babies, and Will must use his superpowers for good, and work together with the sidekicks, in order to win the final battle and fulfill his father's dream that he will "save the world." WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Kids who like colorful, moderately violent action will like it. Though not so clever or double-entendred as THE INCREDIBLES, this film covers the same ground (members of a super-powered family learns to appreciate one another), though from the son's point of view rather than the father's. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For action violence and some mild language CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MICHAEL ANGARANO plays Will Stronghold, a high school freshman who must first admit to his father that he has no superpowers, then come to appreciate his sidekick friends' loyalty and learn how to use his late-blooming powers for the good of the community. KURT RUSSELL plays Commander Stronghold, a super-strong dad who puts pressure on his son to be part of the "greatest superhero family known to mankind," and eventually realizes that his son's good heart is more important than his powers (though the powers are good too!). KELLY PRESTON plays Mrs. Stronghold, who flies to the rescue whenever a crisis comes up, but also worries that her son has good manners and follow the rules even as he develops his powers. DANIELLE PANABAKER is Layla, Will's best friend, whose superpowers allow her to call on nature (trees, wind, storms) to defeat bad guys. She is smart and pretty, and disdains the school's system of dividing students into groups of heroes and sidekicks. STEVEN STRAIT plays Warren Peace, initially Will's archenemy at school; his father is a super-villain whom Commander Stronghold captured years ago, and the son holds a grudge. His superpower is fire -- he can set his limbs aflame and throw fireballs. MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD plays Gwen, Student Body President and most popular girl on campus, who abuses her social status to make other kids feel bad. [She's also the secret other identity of the film's chief super-villain, Royal Pain.] BRUCE CAMPBELL plays Coach Boomer, who assigns the students to their classes, either heroes or sidekicks. He yells and glowers during this selection process ("My word is law, my judgment is final! Are we clear?"). JAKE SANDVIG plays Lash, whose superpower is stretching; he's a school bully; he dunks Ethan's head in he toilet. WILL HARRIS plays Speed, whose superpower is ultra speed, with which he confounds his victims; he's also a bully. LYNDA CARTER plays Principal Powers, who makes a couple of announcements and instructs the students as to correct uses of their powers. She also makes a joke about not being Wonder Woman, the character she played on television from 1976- 1979. DEE JAY DANIELS plays Ethan, one of the sidekicks, whose power is turning into a puddle of goo. NICHLAS BRAUN plays Zach, a student sidekick who glows. KELLY VITZ plays Magenta, a student sidekick who shape-shifts into a guinea pig, All of these seemingly minor powers become important during the final showdown. CLORIS LEACHMAN plays the school nurse, who uses her x-ray vision to see whether Will's ribs are broken. KHADIJAH and MALIKA play Penny, who self-multiplies into her own cheerleading squad, and sides with Gwen against the sidekicks she calls "losers." CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action comedy that's rated PG. While there is not profanity per se, there are some colorful phrases. There are a couple of chaste kisses for the boy hero, a couple of embraces by his parents, one boy appearing in his underpants, and form fitting superhero costumes that emphasize Jetstream's and Gwen's curvaceous figures. Frequent cartoonish violence is present including: characters are thrown against and through walls; the school bus runs off the road to fly to the school in the sky (at first this scares the young riders into screaming, but later scenes shows them at ease with the ride) and one students throws flames. Another brings a storm and a big tree through a window; a student bully dunks another's head in the toilet, then suffers the same fate as payback; fights lead to smashed windows, walls, and furniture; and characters are zapped with a ray that turns them into crying babies in diapers. Some of that material, various minor moments of peril and some visuals might be unsettling to younger viewers, while the fighting, action, stunts and some other material might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (high school bullying and meanness, etc.), while the plot includes various villainous schemes (and villains spying on the heroes with a secret device). One character smokes a cigarette, while at one party some kids appear to be drinking (though it's not clear what), and at a second party the chaperone assures attendees that the punch "bubbles are ginger ale." Thematic elements include the concept of being different from others, learning to be loyal, and being honest with friends and parents. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE At a party at Will's house, students have glasses in their hands and drink, but it's not clear what. At the school Homecoming Dance, the chaperone says the punch bubbles are ginger ale. BLOOD/GORE There is lots of elaborately cartoonish slamming around, but because the characters are superheroes, they don't tend to bleed. One student has his head dunked in the toilet a couple of times by a bully; he returns the favor at the film's end. A student says he's going to "hurl" (but does not). The mad scientist, Mr. Medulla, when turned into a baby at film's end, says, "Uh oh, I have made boom-boom," referring to dirtying his diaper. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Will deceives his parents about having superpowers. Layla tells Will's mother that she doesn't want bacon and eggs because "My mom can communicate with animals; they don't like being eaten." At school, a super-powered girl freezes a boy student who zaps her clothed rear with his laser vision. Layla, reluctant to participate in the selection process at school, doesn't reveal her powers over nature, and says the process "sounds fascist," and "I'm not into labels. I think the whole thing is stupid, dividing people into groups like that." When Commander Stronghold learns Will is a sidekick, he slams his hand on the kitchen table and breaks a cell phone (a drawer full of replacement phones suggests that he does this repeatedly). Lash, Speed, and Warren Peace harass Will and the other sidekicks at school. Lash dunks Ethan's head in the toilet twice (Ethan gets him back by doing it to him at film's end), while Warren fights Will in the cafeteria. Warren tells Will, "If you ever cross me again, I'll roast you alive." Commander Stronghold, happy that Will is strong, tells him, "If your mom asks, tell her that I read you the riot act and took away your Xbox" (he then gives him the Xbox as a reward for getting his powers). Lash and Speed harass the bus driver, and throw his cap in the mud. During a school-sanctioned competition, two teams of two superheroes each (Will is teamed with Warren Peace) must battle each other and "save the citizen" (a dummy about to be minced by a machine, though one of the observers reminisces, "Remember when we used real citizens?"). When Gwen distracts Will at his house, he leaves Layla at a Chinese restaurant, where he was supposed to meet her. To get even, Layla decides to go to the Homecoming Dance with Warren. Will lets Gwen have a party at his house (she lies her way in, saying it's just a meeting of the Homecoming Committee) while his parents are away. Gwen's friend Penny calls the sidekicks "losers." Will calls Warren a "psycho," Captain Stronghold calls Gwen a "complete psychopath." The Homecoming Dance becomes a showdown, when Gwen reveals herself as Commander Stronghold's enemy, Royal Pain. She uses a ray gun called the Pacifier on the guests, turning them all into crying babies. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to some younger viewers, but probably to no one else. Commander Stronghold and Jetstream save the city from a giant robot, a scene captured on TV. Before they arrive to save the day, the announcer says, "Evil has struck our morning commute" (a potentially scary idea for kids aware of the terror attacks in London). The school bus seems to be falling before the turbojets kick in, and the kids scream, accompanied by loud music on the soundtrack. Coach Boomer intimidates the students when he makes them perform their powers and assigns them to "hero" or "sidekick" class. A fight scene in the cafeteria involves violence, including slamming against walls, etc.. Fight scenes during the Homecoming Dance feature Layla's use of a storm and a tree coming through the window. The homecoming showdown leads to the school (which floats in the sky) to fall. Before Will catches it, it seems about to fall on a suburban home and the new owner faints in his wife's arms. GUNS/WEAPONS Commander Stronghold keeps a museum in his Secret Sanctum, of artifacts from his super heroic past; one is a large ray gun called the Pacifier, which turns out to be the weapon that Royal Pain uses to turn the community into babies. The student heroes take a class on ray guns, which the teacher describes as "From the silliness of the shrink ray to the devastation of the death ray." IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Sounds fascist," "I'll roast you alive," "Yes, I'm a girl, you idiot," "Loser (track)," "Psycho," "Complete psychopath," "Loser outreach," "Stupid," "and "Kickin' butt." All of the fighting, action and other stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Bullies throw toilet paper at a weaker kid and dunks his head in the toilet. The weaker kid dunks one of the bullies' head in the toilet at film's end, represented as "just" payback. Kids trip each other and fight in the cafeteria. JUMP SCENES None MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A mild amount of dramatic music plays in several scenes. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None PROFANITY At least 1 use of "God." SEX/NUDITY There's some chaste kissing between high school students. There are some romantic embraces between Will's parents. A boy is seen in his underwear. At school, a super-powered girl freezes a boy student who zaps her clothed rear with his laser vision. Jetstream and Gwen wear form-fitting costumes that emphasize their curvaceous figures. Some non-explicit cleavage is briefly seen. SMOKING Warren Peace lights a cigarette at school and is told to put it out. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Will lies to his father about having superpowers. Will "comes out" to his father as a sidekick, without powers, and his dad slams his hand on the table and breaks a phone. Will's mom suggests that his dad pull back on putting so much pressure on their son to be a superhero. Parents come home to find a party in their house and chase all the kids out. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The first heroic deed by Commander Stronghold and Jetstream has them vanquishing a giant robot in the city; this is mostly shown on television, as Will watches, and the TV announcer says, "Evil has struck our morning commute," which might raise questions for young viewers aware of terrorist attacks in London, during the morning commute. Will's fear of telling his father that he has no superpowers leads to various levels of deceit. Will's excitement at Gwen's attention makes him neglect his other friends. The concept of being different from others. Learning to be loyal. Being honest with friends and parents. VIOLENCE When Commander Stronghold learns Will is a sidekick, he slams his hand on the kitchen table and breaks a cell phone (a drawer full of replacement phones suggests that he does this repeatedly). The first heroic deed by Commander Stronghold and Jetstream has them vanquishing a giant robot in the city. Jetstream flies and carries Stronghold, and then throws him so he crashes into the robot, to kill it. At school, a super-powered girl freezes a boy student who zaps her clothed rear with his laser vision. Bullies throw toilet paper at a weaker kid and dunks his head in the toilet. The weaker kid dunks one of the bullies' head in the toilet at film's end, represented as "just" payback. During the "power placement" scene, when Coach Boomer assigns students to groups, he "tests" Will by dropping a car on him, then throws him against the gymnasium wall. The first fight scene at school, in the cafeteria, includes elaborately cartoonish slamming around. Warren Peace throws fireballs at Will; Lash stretches his legs to trip Will; and Will is thrown against walls. Will's counterattack -- when he discovers he has super strength -- involves lifting a cafeteria table, slamming Lash, Speed, and Warren against walls and floors, and throwing Warren through a wall. Will and Warren are sent to the Principal's office; she assigns them to detention and scolds them. The second fight scene at school -- under official auspices of the "Save the Citizen" contest between two teams of students -- includes very fast zipping around by Speed; Warren Peace throwing fireballs and elaborate, cartoonish slamming around into walls and thru windows. They save the dummy citizen from being shredded, but beat down the opposing team, soundly. The third fight sequence at school, during the Homecoming Dance, takes place in several rooms, with sets of opponents. Layla summons a tree and wind through the window to stop the multiple Pennys from attacking her. Also during this sequence, Speed and Lash fight Warren Peace (they throw each other through walls, Speed rushes around, Warren throws fire). And Will fights Royal Pain and her henchman, a jester-looking figure named Stitches. They throw each other against walls, and into a disco ball on the ceiling. Ron the bus driver kicks Stitches the evil jester-looking sidekick. At last, Will is thrown through a window and he appears to fall for a moment (Royal Pain laughs, "And there goes your last chance of stopping me!"). Just then, Will discovers that not only is he super strong (like his father), but he can also fly (like his mother). He comes back through the window, and punches Royal Pain's mask off. He also saves the school from falling (owing to Royal Pain's anti-gravity ray), at the last minute. Reviewed July 25, 2005 / Posted July 29, 2005

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