MAKING the transition from television to screen, High School Musical 3: Senior Year is the ideal escape from the D world.
In the 1930s, Hollywood transported their audiences from the everyday anxieties of the Great Depression into the escapism of the glitzy world of song, dance and romance.
This is third time easy for Kenny Ortega, so is it Hollywood’s answer for a generation who have never known recession?
The move to cinema is not only brilliant timing, but a stroke of luck, considering few saw the oncoming economic storm.
It’s sweet and wholesome – a love story a father can comfortably take his daughter to see.
While this is no West Side Story, it is a love story, a musical made for today’s generation of teenagers.
With music and songs from the pens of others, nothing new is created.
But the film’s smartest move is the racial mix and interchangeability of sport or the arts as a possible career.
When the senior year’s students of East High come back from their summer holidays, it seems only Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) seems to have her mind on her academic studies.
Her boyfriend, basketball team captain Troy Bolton’s (Zac Efron) first job is to win the championship and then practice for the school’s musical.
The school’s little miss dumb blonde not too nasty girl, Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), is an extremely ambitious teenager who wants the lead role in the show and will do anything to get it.
When the show’s producer, teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed), nominates Troy for a Juilliard School scholarship, the student is disturbed as his father is the basketball coach and wants him to try for a basketball scholarship.
While Troy and Gabriella dance dreamily on the rooftop, the ground floor schemes are taking shape.
Gabriella wants to attend a university pre-enrolment class and to do so, will miss the school show and the prom.
When Sharpay overhears this, she is ready to jump on the stage and take the leading role with Troy.
But he is the knight in shining armour and a cross country trip to bring back Gabriella is on the cards.
With the Juilliard talent spotters in place, Troy and Gabriella steal the show and Sharpay is not forgotten.
However, Troy pleases both his dad and Ms. Darbus, choosing a university, which offers sport and dance.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G)
Directed by: Kenny Ortega
Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale
Rating: three stars (111 mins)