Plot: What’s it about?
The Wildcats have just won another state championship, capping off another great basketball season. But the excitement soon turns to uncertainty, as the seniors face the prospect of life after high school. While school has been fun and the friendships are great, people will be going in different directions now. As the others think about what is to come, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) is going to make sure her acting career is given a boost in the school’s stage production. She wants the focus to be all on her, but the others soon join in to make it one last group initiative. As the play nears, so does the end of school, which causes nerves, but also excitement. Can the friends pull together and make their last school production a huge success? And what does the future hold for these Wildcats, once high school ends?
The end of high school has arrived for the beloved Wildcats, which means High School Musical 3 moved the series from television to the silver screen. If you’ve been a fan of the previous films, then you’ll feel the same about this one, just as those not impressed won’t be bowled over this time. But more of the same is all fans of High School Musical want, which is just what Disney serves up in this third installment. The plot is standard “end of high school” stuff, but no one cares about the story here, as the focus is on the musical numbers. The usual Disney formula is followed, with ultra-safe pop/hip hop tunes joined by bland lyrics, so again, more of the same. I can’t be too hard on the film for that however, as this is what the franchise’s devoted fans expected. So if you’re into the HSM phenomenon, High School Musical 3 shouldn’t disappoint.
Video: How does it look?
High School Musical 3 is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie looks bright, bold, and colorful, just as the material demands. The colors here dazzle the eyes, with all kinds of vivid hues and bold strokes. Not to be outdone, contrast provides stark and consistent black levels. In terms of detail, there is a lot to take in here and depth is solid. The detail isn’t always stunning, but always much more refined than the DVD. Not much else to talk about here, this transfer looks great and fans are sure to love the visual experience.
Audio: How does it sound?
This DTS HD 5.1 option doesn’t blow the roof off, but it provides an active and effective soundtrack. As expected, the most memorable scenes are the musical numbers, which sound great here. The music pulses, the vocals glide through the speakers, and the overall presence in those sequences is terrific. That is the main draw with the movie and as such, it was crucial that they sound superb and they do. The mix falls apart outside of the musical numbers however, with no real life to speak of. But again, since those song and dance pieces are core of the film, I can’t complain too much. This release also includes a Spanish language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This DTS HD 5.1 option doesn’t blow the roof off, but it provides an active and effective soundtrack. As expected, the most memorable scenes are the musical numbers, which sound great here. The music pulses, the vocals glide through the speakers, and the overall presence in those sequences is terrific. That is the main draw with the movie and as such, it was crucial that they sound superb and they do. The mix falls apart outside of the musical numbers however, with no real life to speak of. But again, since those song and dance pieces are core of the film, I can’t complain too much. This release also includes a Spanish language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
