Review of Sky High (2005) by Halfwelshman — 03 Jan 2012

For a family-friendly comedy film, Sky High is surprisingly self-aware, often quite clever in its deconstruction of superhero mythos and packed with plenty of good jokes. The cast are great across the board - the youngsters Michael Angarano and Danielle Panabaker make likable protagonists and their characters Will Stronghold and Layla Williams actually develop over the course of the story, and the supporting cast all add something to the film.

Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston look like they're having a lot of fun playing Will's super-powered parents (complete with tribute-to-Clark Kent spectacles as a disguise), Steven Strait is much better in this than he was in that colossal turkey The Covenant, and plays a pleasingly complex character, the solitary bad-boy Warren Peace, Mary Elizabeth Winstead is also good as the seemingly perfect Gwen Grayson and Bruce Campbell shouts a lot and wears some rather fetching gym shorts, which is awesome.

The film works on multiple levels, as a tongue-in-cheek superhero parody, as a high-school rom-com and as a coming-of-age family drama. The finale may be a bit messy, and some of the effects a bit ropey, but that shouldn't ruin your enjoyment of this undeniably fun adventure for all ages.