It’s a safe bet to say that even with a G-rating, there were more screams in the theater hosting the midnight showing of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” than the next screen over showing “Saw V.” The broken box office records are proof enough.
“High School Musical 3” earned $42 million, setting the record for best opening weekend by a musical. This summer’s “Mamma Mia” was the previous holder with $27.8 million.
The film follows the characters from the previous “High School Musical” movies as they near the end of their senior year. The drama isn’t restricted to the drama department at East High as the Senior Wildcats struggle with problems ranging from what to wear to prom to where to go after high school. The Wildcats decide to stage a musical to showcase their experiences, hopes and fears.
Despite the plot being pure fluff and having its holes, it nicely sets the film up so it is completely unnecessary to watch the first two movies before seeing this one.
However, it seems like plot is the last reason people went to see this movie. As the jock still struggling to choose between basketball and music, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and his girlfriend Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) appear to be the main draw for these films. The popular couple has more songs than any of the other characters, and the point of these numbers appears to be to just give the two more screen time.
While “Can I Have This Dance” is a romantic number that serves as the theme for Troy and Gabriella, it’s pointless for Gabriella to appear in the middle of “Now or Never.”
In “Now or Never,” Troy has a moment of doubt in the last seconds of a major basketball game. In the cheesiest moment of the entire film, everything slows down and the girl he loves magically appears from the depths of the bleachers to tell him, “I believe.” It’s enough motivation for things to get back to real time and for Troy to win the game.
A majority of the songs are Troy and Gabriella duets, but the most enjoyable duet of the entire film is “The Boys Are Back” where Troy is joined by his best friend Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu) in the junk yard flashback number. As Troy and Chad flip over each other’s backs and cars, it’s hard not to be pleased with the choreography in this song.
If the dancing doesn’t get you smiling, the introduction of little Troy and little Chad might do the trick as the reminiscing turns the boys into kids again.
Since Disney’s expanded budget for the production of “HSM3” isn’t noticeable based on the script, it definitely shows in the sets and the choreography. Another visually stunning cafeteria scene and the purposefully over the top “I Want It All” are well-crafted numbers, but perhaps the most impressive choreography shows through at the graduation scene as the students move in their red and white graduation gowns into the shape of a wildcat.
Pointlessness in the plot is easily the main problem with this film, but aside from that this is actually a good movie. So while this is not the type of film one can expect to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, it is the type of film that allows one to relax, watch and be all grins by the end.