Fun In The Sun

High School Musical has been a great success with the young audience but also with most families, as most say it is like Grease for the youths and it is fun. It was a film I watched and cheered me up and I was soon singing the catchy songs in no time and of course Zac Efron isn't all that bad to look at either. Anyway, the success was so great that they decided to do a sequel and now High School Musical 2 comes out this Friday. I watched it by getting a preview for the film and I'm glad I did as it didn't disappoint me and I think I may have liked it just as much as the first film if not even more. Also, with the kids grown up a bit now they do more dancing and can take on better songs and storylines and more of the cast get a chance to sing instead of the usual.

So, the film starts with a bang right away as we are in the classroom with the children as they are all anxiously sitting watching the clock ticking. All of them are doing this because they know summer is minutes away. As soon as the bell rings the kids all spring up from their chair and break into the song 'What Time Is It?' which will be stuck in your head in no time, they come up with some great routines and this is a good start to the film being very lively and involving everyone as they switch to scenes all around the school making anything a prop to dance with like the dining room, the basketballs and so on. All of the children end up working at the local country club where Sharpay usually goes but she unlike the others is relaxing in luxury rather than working.

Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) gets the job as a lifeguard and the others are working in the kitchen, waiting or something like it. Troy is really interested in a scholarship as he wants to continue in sport and of course being wealthy and always having had a thing for Troy, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) is glad to help him. She has him wrapped around her finger and getting attention for him by getting her dad to know him so they can arrange for talent scouts to come watch him. Gabriella is now with Troy but she doesn't seem too bothered about Sharpay and her trying to get Troy to sing with her in her production because she sees her as no threat.

However, it is soon announced because of Sharpay that none of the workers can take part in a talent show even though the kids thanks to Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), Sharpay's brother had started dancing to learn a scene for the show. Troy soon starts training with another team who are great and starts eating dinner with Sharpay's family and so on becoming a different person all in hopes of getting a scholarship. The film is set on the warm and sunny setting of the country club with golf settings, pools, etc. The songs are much better this time too less of the cheesiness more grown up and being older myself I found that I didn't actually mind some of the songs myself unlike the last film where I didn't love the songs as much and found them a bit too much.


This film is more about the kid's friendships and about changing who you are and coming to grips with loyalty. It also focuses more on relationships and real teenage problems which maybe a bit of an older audience might relate more to. There are some nice songs like Gotta Go My Own Way sang by Gabriella and Troy about their relationship and there is so much emotion in the vocals. I also like the layout of the scene set in the night when she runs off across the country club, it makes you sad which shows they are growing up and getting better at acting. I also like the funky, modern sounding 'I Don't Dance' which is quite a competitive song but the vocals are good and these kids really are talented.

The films actors are definitely much better. Vanessa's voice has improves this time making her take on tougher solo's but she wasn't on screen as much this time round. I think Zac Efron stole the show with his solos and the plot seemed to revolve around him more this time. I also think his voice was better and he has become stronger as an actor not afraid to dance, more confident and also showing more expression in his face, taking him more seriously this time round. I also think Corbin Bleu was great this time round a good young actor taking some strong scenes and his voice is amazing.

I know some of the stars have their own albums like Vanessa, Corbin and Ashley, the only one I have actually listened to was Vanessa's which is surprisingly good and catchy.

The film lasts approximately 90 minutes and is available to buy on DVD on Amazon for $15.99 Rated G