Review of High School Musical (2006) by Jon C — 20 Jan 2016

For 2006:

This review is coming up a decade after the pop cultural musical phenomenon hit with audiences;.

For a long while musicals went out of style and everyone had to get with the times, that is until director Kenny Ortega brought the excitement back with a Disney Channel Original Movie about standing out, not sticking to the status quo, and reminding everyone that we are all in this together.

Sure it's corny and unrealistic, not to mention that the plot has been done before but the movie does its job well of speaking to younger generation that breaking free from your social constraints isn't a bad thing.

Trying something new and being two things at the same time against the judgment of others is a big risk even when you're a teenager.

A collection of yet-to-be-known actors came into the mix as well from Zac Efron to Vanessa Hudgens to Ashley Tisdale.

Yes they are stereotypes from the star athlete to the nerdy, shy girl to the queen bee of the student body and maybe they are playing one-dimensional parts but that doesn't mean that they are bad actors.

It's still a big rainbow of people that belong to their own cliques yet learn to merge together.

The songs are very memorable and you'll be humming and tapping your toes to several of them.

It's a squeaky-clean representation of the high school experience without the bad stuff involved.

Like the filmmakers and the actors involved we didn't know it would be a surprise-hit but it definitely struck a chord with tweens as well as musical-fans.

HSM would later re-define the musical genre inspiring theater productions, concerts, sequels, and other film incarnations.

I'll admit I am still a devoted fan and at first I was reluctant to give it a try but after checking it out back in May 2006 I saw what the excitement was about.

It's just a fuzzy, positive, feel-good natured movie that makes you want to break out in song.

If only all of our high schools were this enthusiastic about music.