This is a follow-up to the very successful Disney Original Movie "High School Musical" that was first shown a couple of years back. My kids loved the first one so much that they have practically memorized all the songs. Their favorites are "Start of Something New", "Bop to the Top", "Breaking Free" and "We're All in This Together". Ok, ok, I liked it too. Here was my review of that movie right after we watched it one and a half years ago, before I had my Multiply site (6/25/06):
"We just watched High School Musical on the Disney Channel just now. Although this movie is clearly very teen-oriented, I quite enjoyed watching this very wholesome movie. The original music and dance moves were great. The actors and characters are quite likable, despite being unknown. A good-time feel-good happy little film. I understand why the soundtrack is doing so well on the Billboard 200. I was quite surprised when more than 5 tracks from the film charged into the Billboard Hot 100 in one week, one debuting as high as #4! I guess after watching, people simply wanted to hear those songs, like I do."
Now this sequel has a different setting. It was not set in the high school per se anymore, but in a posh New Mexico resort owned by Sharpay and Ryan Evans. Sharpay gets her claws out again to grab Troy Bolton away from his girl Gabriella Montez. She fixes it so that Troy will work a summer job at her resort, but to her surprise, Troy brings the whole Wildcats gang in with him, including Gabriella!
There are more serious themes in this film. There are several serious confrontation scenes. There were serious choices that needed to be made by lead character Troy, more serious than whether he should sing at his high school musical or not. This time decisions involved loyalties, priorities, planning for the future while staying grounded now. Very difficult choices indeed for a teenager in high school to face. But of course, as this is a Disney Original Movie Musical, so we do expect a happily-ever-after.
The songs in the first HSM seem catchier for me, but of course, I'm biased since I have heard them over and over, and enjoyed my kids singing them over and over. But the songs here have a charm of their own. Let's see if they will catch on, and if my kids will want to watch this over and over when the video comes out.
The songs parallel those in the first movie.
1. "I Don't Dance" is sung by Ryan and Chad while dancing and playing baseball, in the style of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" video. I see it as the equivalent of "Getcha Head in the Game".
2. "You are the Music in Me" echoes "What I've Been Looking For," sung slowly at the piano with Kelsi by Troy and Gabriella. Although the alternate fast Sharpay version is sung this time with Troy, not Ryan.
3. "Gotta Go My Own Way" is the sad love song by Gabriella, much like "When There Was Me and You" in the first movie. Troy gets to sing a little with Gabriella in the new song though.
4. "Everyday" sung during the actual Talent Show at the end is the equivalent of "Breaking Free" sung at the Musical in the HSM1.
5. "All For One" is the new "We're All In This Together", the party song sung at the end by the whole cast.
Zac Efron sung all of Troy Bolton's songs in this second movie, unlike in HSM1 where Andrew Seeley get credited for the Troy songs (and appears in the HSM Concert in lieu of Zac!) Zac even has a solo highlight "Bet On It", where he dances ala Michael Jackson meets the Jets (of West Side Story) on the golf course.
Overall, HSM2 succeeded because the characters were all very familiar and well loved. Who could argue with rating of 17.6 million viewers on its premiere night, making it the highest Disney Channel Original Movie in history. Its soundtrack album is the second best selling album of 2007. None of the new songs though made so much of an impact on the singles chart like "Breaking Free" did the last time.
Despite the efforts obviously spent on this above-average sequel, I personally do not think it will match the enduring success of the first HSM, but I guess only time can tell how much legs this sequel has. As of now, a third High School Musical movie, with the working title of High School Musical 3 has been announced for debut in movie theaters 2008.
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