Although the term "tween" was not yet in existence in the generational nomenclature when the movie version of the Broadway musical "Grease" was released back in 1978, that film certainly had an effect on those in that age group (and that apparently continues to this day with those who've replaced them over the intervening decades). For not only did it represent the first exposure to a musical for many of them, but it also did the same regarding a lively and fun look at high school on the big screen (back before such secondary school characters and themes began to dominate the cinema).
Of course, it didn't hurt that the music was good (and that the insertion of some new songs propelled the soundtrack up the charts), the choreography and dancing imaginative, and the stars certifiably charismatic, even if they ranged from a few to far too many years old to be playing such parts.
Flash forward to 2006 and the TV release of "High School Musical" on the Disney Channel. While the Mouse House had reestablished the movie musical nearly 20 years earlier with "The Little Mermaid," the world was unprepared for the phenomenon that was unleashed, although the similarities to "Grease" were quite obvious. Despite the temporal difference of the 1950s vs. the 2000s, "HSM" also featured catchy tunes (with the soundtrack being number one for the year), lively dance numbers, and charismatic performers, some of them a few years older than their characters, all in a high school setting.
Unlike its predecessor, however, the new hit spawned a sequel far more popular than the original, copping the largest audience ever for a basic cable TV production (while "Grease 2" floundered at the box office and only served to bring Michelle Pfeiffer into the limelight).
Smelling big bucks, the Disney Channel opted not for an ad-supported, free offering for the second sequel, but instead figured greater financial gain could be made on the big screen. Thus the existence of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," the first time the third film of any series has been the first of its bunch to debut on the big screen (it's obviously usually the other way around).
With the main cast returning along with director/choreographer Kenny Ortega and screenwriter Peter Barsocchini, and sporting a bigger budget than its predecessors, the film is sure to be a box office phenomenon, DVD hit, and long-running staple on the Disney Channel. And that's because the apparently still growing fan base for these films is most likely going to eat up this offering like a box of concession candy or popcorn.
Being a newbie to the series (not having kids in the targeted demographic), I was somewhat dreading the whole thing. Yet, I must admit that it's actually a tolerable experience with a somewhat infectious charm, some decent songs, and some fun and effectively staged choreography.
Of course, like most musicals, it's fairly silly in its very nature. After the opening shot features a close-up of star Zac Efron's face (much to the audible delight of female tweens at our screening), his character breaks out into song in the middle of a basketball game. As to be expected, other such drop everything and sing moments occur throughout the film, and one's tolerance of said song and dance interruptions will determine whether this comes off as agonizing or entertaining to one degree or another.
Like its predecessors, there isn't a great deal of substantial plot to be found when the vocal cords and feet take a break. As the title states, it's senior year and thus now full-fledged couple Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgins) must decide on their romantic and collegiate futures, while diva Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) again tries to dominate the drama scene. Various other characters (some returning, some new) are also present, but most get little to no material of note with which to work. That said, I did find Lucas Grabeel as the diva's twin brother to be the most fun -- not to mention natural -- to watch in the various musical numbers.
Ortega stages them efficiently, with some of the bigger and more ambitious ones actually being fairly impressive. There are also nods to predecessors such as "Saturday Night Fever" (not a musical per se, but there was all of that iconic dancing), Fred Astaire in "Royal Wedding" doing the dancing on the walls and ceiling bit courtesy of the invisibly rotating room, and even what appears to be some moves lifted from "Footloose." The latter would seem fitting, I suppose, considering that Efron has been tapped to fill Kevin Bacon's shoes in the remake of that film from 1984 (that similarly entertained its generation of tweens).
And with the series' characters here graduating and moving on, I guess it's only appropriate that the stars playing them leave high school musicals (and the films bearing that name) and expand their horizons. This third installment won't likely do the latter for any of its viewers, but it should greatly entertain its fan base while not torturing too many adults dragged along to see it. Fairly entertaining despite its flaws, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" rates as a 5 out of 10.
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