Critic Review: High School Musical 3

I was expecting the worst film. High School Musical was always kind of cute: pretty stars hopping around on pretty stages. Nothing wrong with that. But there is no movie-technical merit to enjoy. With part three, I was sure for them to take what youngsters liked about the first two, combine it and create a monster of sugar-coated kitsch. I was so wrong. Starting with the stuff I was expecting, the film was on the way to give me some laugh-at material: With "Sixteen Minutes Left", a time period that seems totally senseless (not sure yet), the Wildcats try to win their last game. Throwing around Basketballs when they wouldn't have to, singing as if it was the most normal thing to do during a game – and a corny entrance of "The Girl" Gabriella, she being the only one visible in the audience and him standing around, a break in the game just for the two of them. My reaction: Couldn't decide between shaking my head and laughing the same one off. Exactly the reaction I wanted to have. Then it changed. First, I was confused when Gabriella and Troy suddenly let other characters enter the stage. Ryan Evans and Kelsey Nielsen, between whom a strikingly sweet, honest and down-to-earth relationship might be developing, work together for the Senior Year-Musical; Miss Darbus, the hilarious teacher, gets her scenes; Sharpay – wonderful, unique Sharpay – surprises us with more charm than ever before, and some so far unknown wisdom. Not that Troy and Gabriella were absent – they're just not the main characters. Heroes, yes – through them, the audience experiences everything, and with them, identifies itself: Because they are normal people with just some special talent, like everybody in the world believes themselves to be. Through them, we live through what all the characters in HSM3 have to deal with: the looming future, important decisions. Just because Troy and What's-Her-Name-His-Girlfriend-You-Know-Who-I-Mean are the junction between audience and film, doesn't mean they are the main characters, the true protagonists. Those have to do something relevant to the story, they have to (want to) change something. In the case of "Senior Year," their oh-so-tragic possible separation is a side-plot. When I noticed that, I was so glad I could have jumped over to America(plan to go this xmas) and hug all of Disney. Something about the movie that I was waiting for with excited skepticism were the new characters. I knew beforehand that they are going to be the stars of part four, and I was convinced that this is the worst idea Disney could have had. Again – how could I be so wrong? "Rocketman" (whatever his real name is) is a – I can barely believe it – likable, funny and somewhat "cool" hero! Why couldn't we have him instead of Troy all along? (Easily answered question: Disney had to trick us into believing that Troy was all great, to make it the harder for the little girls when they dumped his unbelievably don't-want-to-say-the-word character like a piece of old cake. ;) ) And British Sharpay? Like a dream come true! Of course, she's not as great as Sharpay, and her voice is kind of … well … But – "Sharpay-like" plus British? Kudos! Impressed as I was, I was really doubtful about the ending – towards the Big Finish, things seemed to go a direction I wouldn't like: Sharpay sneezing because of Rocketman's Aftershave, then beaten by British!Sharpay; Troy and Gabriella happy together and returning for the musical's final … in the name of all the gods that don't exist, please no! Then they turned it around. Sharpay strikes back. She doesn't win the scholarship (only fair – Ryan and Kelsey deserve it) – so what? Sharpay, strong and – now – wise as she is, knows that there are other alternatives that might be even better for her. Not only will she go to a school that fits her perfectly, she'll also stay a part of the High School by becoming Miss Darbus's assistant! And Troy and Gabriella? He goes to a school he would never have considered – if there wasn't Gabriella. By picking a school which offers him half of Basketball and Musical, he might be happy for a while, but bored without Chad and missing all the chances he might have had. As it is, Troy and Gabriella's relationship is about to break: Never have they fitted well, they just belonged because otherwise there would have been no story in the beginning. Once they're done, Troy's going to hate himself. And Gabriella, being nothing but a pretty, less annoying Hermione Granger, gets some nice job somewhere. Hammering home the message, that's what Disney is – giving children false impressions, while subtly showing them the truth. I try to firmly believe that some brilliant mind in Disney decided to put their hands on HSM and turn it around. That wonderful person is responsible for what we have: A High School Musical that is more than "good". It's incredible. Thank you, Disney, for proving me wrong – all along I believed your Musical was only there to make fun of. Thank you, Disney, for proving everyone who told me I was stupid for watching Senior Year wrong: Behind the mask of sickly sweet cheese, you're offering a brilliant flick that every film-fan should see. Thank you for showing me what to do with characters like Troy and Gabriella: Up to part two, I wanted Sharpay to get Him, just because she wanted him – now I see that he's not worth her. You tossed the heroes away, put them someplace where they can't hurt us with their annoying purposelessness and facelessness. Thank you for showing Troy and Gabriella as just as trivial as they are, thank you for, unnoticed, destroying their romance. Keep things up! But, next time – push the tire over.