Plot: What’s it about?
The magic of love can be found in all kinds of places, including a karaoke contest, which is where two young people first meet. Troy (Zac Efron) is a basketball star back home, known for his athletic skills, but here, his voice is what stands out. Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is as academic as they come, a brain who doesn’t always have the aura of being cool. But while on vacation, the two meet while enjoying karaoke and in addition to finding out they both have wonderful voices, they also discovered a potential romance. Back at East High, it would seem their romance is doomed however, given the social cliques and their traditions. But the couple isn’t going to give up, although for now, they want to keep their bond under wraps. Despite what those around them might think, they plan to audition for the school musical and snare the leads. When word of their plan gets out, everyone is talking about the couple and their unexpected plans. While they do meet with some opposition, they also see more of their friends wanting to be in the musical and pursue their own dreams. But can Gabriella and Troy make their dream come true, or will the leads go to someone else?
This Disney Channel original was a smash success, with almost eight million viewers when it debuted, but is High School Musical worth the hype? This movie is bad, but it seems to want to be bad, so bad that you can’t help but laugh. I mean, a musical is hard to pull off, but with a cast of basic, generic teens and some of the worst musical numbers ever, it is impossible. I have to think the filmmakers aimed for camp with High School Musical, as I can’t believe anyone would hear some of these songs and have high hopes. Just listen to the basketball themed songs, which are the worst of the lot. The cast goes over the top trying to compensate for bland talent, with results that again, are so bad, you have to laugh. But while this makes the film sound like loads of fun, that simply isn’t the case. I wish this was so bad, it was good, but the unintentional laughs are sparse and most of the time, this is more like a train wreck. This is just a weak, poorly crafted teen romance with a run of miserable songs thrown in to draw in the junior high drama students. I can’t recommend this as a purchase, so if you must see it, rent it or better yet, wait for the next television broadcast.
Video: How does it look?
High School Musical is presented in full frame, as intended. This moved from television to home video at a brisk pace, so as expected, the visuals hold up quite well. The print is as clean as can be, with no flaws to report, while clarity is high, so the visuals are always crisp. The movie has some bright colors and they look good here, with vivid, bold and error free hues. No worries with contrast either, as black levels perform at a stark level that never wavers. Not much else to talk about, a solid transfer that doesn’t disappoint. I do wish this had been shot for widescreen, but you can’t win them all, I suppose.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a musical and the musical numbers are brash and bold, so yeah, the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround option packs a punch. The vocals are loud and the music has good depth, so the musical sequences come off as grand, which is cool. Now as for the rest of the soundtrack, once you get past the musical numbers and the rest of the tunes, there isn’t a lot to discuss. The dialogue is clean and never gets out of line, while sound effects are solid, but don’t expect much beyond the basics here. The music sounds great, which is the main point, but the rest is kind of average.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a look at the film’s dance steps, a behind the scenes piece, and two music videos.
