Released by Disney in 2005, it was met with a positive critical reaction, but a less enthusiastic audience. While it made double it's budget, it slowly slipped into obscurity until no one now remembers it. And you know what, I can see why, but at the same time I don't get why the Comic book/film community lets it slip away. Yeah it's a Disney flick and it can be corny and over-the-top, but it's still a pretty decent film.
Let's hear the story first. Through a comic book introduction, we see the two greatest Superhero's on the planet, The Commander and Jetstream. They settled down to start a family, get a job and save the earth along the way, but their son Will Stronghold is joining a new school and has yet to tell his parents his powers haven't developed. He meet's with his other friends who have their powers, but are not as impressive as others with super speed, strength, vision, etc. Little do they all realize they are being sent to Sky High, a high school for superhero's in training. Their they are split into two factions: Superhero and Side-kick. Will, as he has no powers, his friends with lame powers and his friend Layla, who has control of vegetation and plants, are sent to side kick class. Will eventually makes some friends and enemies and as an old enemy arises, Will must band with his friends to prove that powers isn't what makes a hero super (I'm sorry....but yes it is! That is the standard definition of Superhero, hero with powers).
Just the idea is already cool, a superhero school in the sky. But on top of that, Bruce Campbell (Ash Williams) as your coach, Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) as your Principal and Kurt Russel (RJ MacReady) as your Dad. Now that is also cool. So why after those point's are you not interested. How about it incorporates dilemmas of High School and teenage life. OK, that part is my only gripe about the movie. It incorporates elements of Glee and High School Musical, but without the music, poor character development or cliches like pregnancy, abortion, suicide, etc. Instead we get the misunderstandings, break-ups, the school cliques and the will they or won't they romance. But in terms of the story, they deal with it well enough and it serves the plot well, especially in the reveal of the villain. The villain is actually a surprisingly good villain, always mysterious until the end and being played very well by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Patrick Warburton and actually getting a couple of funny lines in. The motivation behind and the actual plan is actually well handled as well.
Also the characters are likable, true the parents can be sometimes naive, Will can be a bit of a jerk and at first I didn't like Layla for being the accumulation of of every lifestyle choice that makes people think they are better than others (Vegetarian, feminist and pacifist). The others are actually well done or are so goofy you can't help but laugh with them. It really is a harmless picture, which is one of the main reasons I think it has little legacy, it was hardly challenging in terms of Disney standards or it didn't have a lasting message or any real memorable moments. But it does have a really good idea of a school
for superhero's and for the jokes about comic book/Superhero cliches, so good is the idea that I really hope someone at FOX or Warner Bros. picks up on the idea to make a TV show. But I feel that this is a very underused idea. Like the potential of the drawbacks and advantages of powers in school, the conflicting ideals of serving man, fighting man or pursuing your dream against the better judgement of others. Now that would be a very mature and entertaining story. But for the story as is, I think it's a very good comedy to be found in the Superhero parody genre (which still has some good ideas left and shouldn't be abandoned just yet). I feel there is some more potential to be got out of the story and it can be too over-the-top/Cheesy, but it is very enjoyable with fun characters, action and jokes. I think my favorite scene is either the final battle or save the citizen.
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