AT ONE point in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, the characters sing and lament the fact that high school was never supposed to last forever… and yet here we are with the first cinematic outing for Disney’s latest franchise juggernaut. And there’s just no sign of stopping it.

Kenny Ortega’s films have become a global phenomenon and no amount of criticism surrounding the latest incarnation is going to prevent it from unearthing a box office windfall. Kids love it, parents love it probably because their kids love it, and you really have to go with the flow.

Yet, there’s an inescapable feeling of amazement (certainly from this critic) surrounding just how it was able to get so big in the first place. For if this third movie is anything to go by, it’s not really all that special.

It’s senior year and everyone suddenly finds themselves faced with making big decisions about their future. For Troy (Zac Efron), this involves choosing between a basketball or arts scholarship, and coping with the impending loss of high school sweetheart Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), while for Chad (Corbin Bleu), it’s following a path to the inevitable without the guarantee of his having his best friend beside him.

Glamour-puss Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), meanwhile, must contend with a new and unexpected threat to her supremacy, while attempting to land her own moment in the spotlight at the end-of-year artistic performance.

Fans of past musicals such as Fame and Grease will recognise many of the elements that are contained within the High School franchise, but may still be surprised at the way it sticks so rigidly to formula.

And there’s nothing risky or adventurous whatsoever about this particular movie, save for a long-awaited kiss between Troy and Gabriella, and lots of bigger, more extravagant dance sequences. But even then, there’s not really any one song in particular that leaves a lasting impression.

As for the cast, they look good and are certainly full of energy – but few (with the exception of Efron maybe) seem to suggest they have the goods needed to forge a career beyond the franchise… although, to be fair, much of this can be attributed to the rigid screenplay, which requires them to stick to stereotype and retain a relentlessly sunny disposition.

But no matter how many things are wrong with it, High School Musical 3 will still tick all the right boxes for long-term fans of the franchise, who are clearly relishing the opportunity to see events unfold on the big screen (the film has reportedly broken UK box office records for advance bookings, beating Harry Potter in the process).

It’s success may well baffle newcomers or the curious, but ask any parent whose kids are kept quiet during its (overlong) running time and they’ll gladly tell you that it’s yet another blessing from the Disney camp that affords them some magical moments of silence!

Certificate: U
Running time: 111mins
UK DVD & Blu-ray Release: February 16, 2009

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