High School Musical 3

Rating G Genre musical Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman Directed by Kenny Ortega Publisher Walt Disney Pictures

The boys (and girls) are back!  East High’s favorite Wildcats are back in the third installment of the popular High School Musical series, but this time, they’re seniors and need to start making choices about their futures.

The film opens on the Wildcats winning their second basketball championship.  We then learn that everyone is expecting team captain Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) to go to the University of Albuquerque to play basketball with his best friend, Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu), but Troy isn’t sure if it’s the right place for him.  After all, his girlfriend, Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens), is headed off to Stanford.

The next day at school, the resident drama queen, Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), suggests that the senior year musical should really be a one woman show, but Troy, Gabriella, and a few of their friends volunteer to help and turn it into a musical about their final days at East High School.  Shortly into rehearsals, drama teacher Ms. Darbus announces that four East High students are being considered for a Julliard scholarship: one of them being Troy.

As the time for a college decision draws closer, Gabriella is unable to continue with the show and Troy struggles between basketball, theatre, and the girl he loves.

High School Musical 3 really reflects a conscious decision to take the franchise from television to the big screen.  For one, the budget was immensely bigger, and this shows through the intricate sets.  From decking out the high school cafeteria to look like an elaborate Hollywood set, and transforming an empty lot into a whole junkyard full of falling apart cars, the scenic designer spared no expense.

The choreography is also inarguably better than that of the past two films.  Director and choreographer Kenny Ortega raises the bar on the dance in every film, but this time, he finally uses his young talent to their maximum potential.  He takes his best two dancers, Bleu and Efron, and pushes the limits of their dancing in the number “Boys are Back.” The two execute flips, footwork, and balances that are hardly seen in dancers of their years.

Sadly though, the film was so Troy-centric, that many of the supporting leads were pushed into almost bit parts.  Lucas Grabeel (Sharpay’s twin brother, Ryan Evans) has the best voice out of the six major actors, but he is cut into only sharing a duet with a less-talented Ashley Tisdale.  His character, who in the last film became a dominant player, is hardly seen.  The same can be said of Tisdale, who might not be the best singer, but her scene-stealing performance of Sharpay is also scaled back to only a few quips with new student, Tiara Gold.

The film will probably not draw any new fans to the franchise, but if you liked the first and second High School Musicals, you will very much enjoy this one.  As the popular trilogy comes to a close, High School Musical 3 leaves you content with the futures of our favorite East High students.