The gang from "High School Musical" is back for the last time in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" with the Wildcats headed into their much-anticipated senior year. With all members of the cast returning, this movie is definitely one that will top the charts!
"Senior Year" starts with the Wildcats playing in the championship basketball game. They're down at halftime, just struggling to hang on. With a pep talk from their team captains, Troy (Zac Efron) and Chad (Corbin Bleu), the boys rally their team spirit and come back to win the game and become back-to-back champions.
The whole movie revolves around a central theme: senioritis. The gang is all deciding where they want to go to college and what they plan on pursuing.
Along the way, Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) decides that they need to hold their last spring musical. When no one willingly volunteers, Kelsi (Olesya Rulin) signs them all up and convinces them they must participate in the show, called "Senior Year."
With Kelsi as producer and Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) as choreographer, this musical is sure to be a hit. Of course, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) is attempting to steal the spotlight, as always.
She also does everything in her power to break-up the love duo of Troy and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens). Once she finds out that Gabriella has been accepted into the Stanford Honors Program, her whole scheme soars.
Throughout all this, Troy is coming to terms with the fact that maybe he doesn't want to be the basketball star anymore. He learns that he has been offered a chance at a Julliard scholarship, along with Ryan, Kelsi and Sharpay. This is when his attitude starts to change. He knows he will eventually have to make a decision, but his real dream is to pursue both theatre and basketball.
Slowly, the group's college plans start to fall into place. Taylor (Monique Coleman) is heading off to Yale, and Gabriella is heading to Stanford. Chad has agreed to go to the University of Albuquerque to play basketball, as has Troy, though his commitment is tentative since he's still unsure about what he wants to do.
As the end of the school year approaches, the friends all learn to cope with the fact that they are going to be separated for the first time. Before they go, they decide, of course, to treasure their last moments of high school. From the senior prom to their final walk at graduation, the group learns that they will remain friends no matter what as they close with the song "We're All in This Together."
"Senior Year" features the best songs in the "High School Musical" series. Most fans are quite familiar with the recent hit "I Want It All" performed by Sharpay and Ryan. However, that is not the only great tune found on this movie's soundtrack.
My personal favorites are "Can I Have This Dance?" and "The Boys Are Back." In "Can I Have This Dance?" Gabriella teaches Troy how to waltz. The whole song will keep you speechless as you enviously imagine being the next person to step in with either one of the characters.
However, "The Boys Are Back" takes another effect. Troy and Chad visit a junkyard and just dance the place apart. With new moves and awesome stunts, this part of the movie really is quite amazing.
Overall, "Senior Year" is the perfect ending to the "High School Musical" series and its story that most kids can relate to. Bringing this movie to the theaters was the perfect idea. I really liked the new choreography and expansion of characters.
I would definitely recommend this movie for all ages. However, most little kids will probably not get the same thing out of it that the older kids will get. There are, after all, several romances and events that little kids just may not understand.
I definitely would give this movie my seal of approval. Get out of the cold and into a warm cinema to see this new hit and watch all the Wildcats together for the last time.