Making Decisions: A Movie Review of Kenny Ortega’s High School Musical 3

The High School Musical 3: Senior Year (HSM3) is Disney Channel’s final offering of the hit series of high school romance, friendship, teamwork, and discoveries. It is indeed bigger, better, and best. Directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini, HSM3 is indeed the last time that avid High School Musical (HSM) fans will witness the ever cheerful spirit and frothy flounce of their favorite characters, may it be the star athlete Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), the Einsteinette Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Ane Hudgens), or the school’s resident diva Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale). Despite being the last of the series, there is an additional mix of new cast members such as Tiara Gold (Jemma McKenzie Brown), The Rocketman (Matt Prokop), and Donnie Dion (Justin Martin).

Filming began on May 3, 2008, at the East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, with another set of catchy tunes and crackerjack choreography that made theaters flood with squealing HSM fans. HSM3 ties up the series with seniors making a big decision about the next chapter of their lives—college. With the University of Arizona as the choice of Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu) and Coach Bolton, Troy struggles to go with his most loyal best friend and continue with their dreams of shooting hoops as Red Hawks players. At the back of his mind, he is thinking of Julliard, a school for theatrical and musical arts, as a better option; however, he chooses to keep the unexpected scholarship offer as a secret from his dad as this may again start their argument on his planned future. Even making things more complicated is the fact that he will be separated from his girlfriend, Gabriella, who received an early notice of acceptance from the Stanford University.

As a last bonding moment, the East High seniors produced the spring musical called “Senior Year” with Kelsi Nielsen (Olesya Rulin), and Ryan Evans (Lucas Gabreel), as their composer and choreographer, respectively. The musical is all about their experiences through their high school tears, like winning the championship games in basketball and Ryan and Sharpay’s red carpet moments. But what really spices up the musical is Troy and Gabriella’s duet at the balcony of her room. Remembering the time when Troy climbed up the tree to hand over the lyrics of their duet in the High School Musical 1, the musical also exhibits the pre-adolescent romance that made viewers giggle and be nostalgic about the sparkles and candy-coated moments of high school years.

As the story rides along with the melodious beats, each scene has a bigger splash of digital color and effects. From the I Want It All Hollywood dream of the Evans twins to the Scream of Troy, we were watching with amazement. Also, the choreography of each scene is twice the excitement as the scenes from the previous television movies. HSM fans will definitely love the preppy theatrical costumes and the rotating scenes during the A Night TO Remember song and the stupendous waltz of Troy and Gabriela on the East High botanical roof while singing Can I Have This Dance? Kenny Ortega did accomplish what he said from the moment he accepted the job: “I can bring something to this. I think I can help make this something special for me and for the channel.” Having a background in theatrical features, Ortega has been the choreographer of classics such as Xanadu and Dirty Dancing, which made his career impressive. And with this teen phenomenon made-for-television film, he made an outstanding entrance to the modern fairy tale wonderland. HSM3 is truly entertaining and a feel good movie.

However, there are some flaws in the movie that are quite impossible in the real world. An example is Troy and Gabriella’s waltz in the rain. After which, they headed off to their own classes, wearing the same clothes during the dance. Imagine being soaking wet then blown dry in a snap. Another is Troy and Gabriella arrived from Stanford University to their spring musicale without showing a road drive scene. Take note that the university is 52 miles away from the East High and the vehicle they used to travel is the old rusting truck of Coach Bolton which constantly undergoes repair. Imagine, again, leaving the musicale and returning during the final scene of their presentation. And this is all thanks to that stuffy gruffly truck that blazed through the road in less than an hour. Last is their promenade called “Last Waltz” that was not fully shown in spite of being one of their final presentations before leaving high school. There was a scene of dancing around a tree with all their shimmering gowns and crisp tuxedos that gave a bird’s eye view of how the promenade would look like but it never did happen in the movie.

Through the overall impact of HSM3 is undisputedly great among the fans, it needs more on emphasizing the value of high school, that is, education. After all, high school is not all about extra curricular activities such as musicals and basketball games, even puppy love, which can also make the rating of HSM3, a general patronage, questionable. Why? First, majority of its viewers are children under the age of 13 and we certainly remember the instance we heard the theater filled with disgust expressions from them after seeing Troy and Gabriella’s butterfly smack. Since this television franchise has been drastically influencing children, through renowned actions and unforgettable songs, there is no doubt that children will have love life as one of their most important concerns and having the shiniest purse or sexiest strut in the hallway as well. Another reason for its arguable rating is the scene where Troy and Chad took the clothes of Donny and The Rocketman as a way of teaching them how to earn a reputation in school. Being chased by two toweled sophomores around the campus is not a good idea for children to patronize.

Knowing that “All work, no play makes Juan a dull boy” true, there should be few scenes on how to excel academically and not just with mere reputations and scholarship grants from top universities that proves one’s excellence in school work. Like the science decathlon from the High School Musical 1, it showed a short period of excellence displayed at school. But, generally, the importance of teamwork and friendship prevails. That will be enough for the parents to allow their children to idolize the HSM characters and its movie.

With everything digested and remembered, HSM3 has added zest to its old formula that made its debut a blockbuster hit. Though the story needs more of a narrative ambition, it makes up for its dazzling choreography. It is absolutely entertaining for its sing alongs and ecstatic dancings. It sets young minds to think of high school as the best years of their lives. It truly has a Walt Disney trademark and it will continue to live among HSM fans around the world.

If you have watched both television movies and ended up having a last song syndrome, then you will no doubt be saddened as they run downstage and jump into the air in their signature pose one last time as another curtain closes at this grand finale of the HSM series. Earning three out of five stars, High School Musical 3: Senior Year will surely hit the department stores with its brand new set of pens, shirts, books, and DVD copies (Written With Vicson Aypa Mabanglo and Zatia Denise Danao Gammad).