high school musical 3 movie review

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• DVD & Streaming

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

• Drama , Kids , Musical , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Zac Efron as Troy Bolton; Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella Montez; Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans; Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans; Corbin Bleu as Chad Danforth; Monique Coleman as Taylor McKessie

Home Release Date

• Kenny Ortega

Distributor

• Disney/Buena Vista

Movie Review

Hey, we all gotta grow up sometime.

That’s what those Wildcats at Albuquerque’s East High are realizing as they embark on their fantabulous senior year. No longer will life just be about basketball games and summer jobs and high school musicals: Graduation is just around the corner and semi-adulthood lurks on the horizon—and so, it seems, do some bittersweet good-byes.

Troy and Gabriella, East High’s dancing and singing royal couple, are planning to attend different colleges. Gabriella’s nailed down a prestigious spot at Stanford University, while Troy’s torn between playing basketball for the University of Albuquerque—his dad’s first choice, not his—and hoofing it over to The Juilliard School in New York.

Much musical angst ensues.

Meanwhile, dimpled-but-dastardly Sharpay plots another takeover of East High’s last musical—and a chance to finally sing that elusive duet with Troy.

And, well, that’s about it, storyline-wise. But, really, who loves the High School Musical films for their plots? HSM3 is cinematic comfort food, bursting with everything fans have come to love about the series: Ear-catching tunes, foot-stomping dances, Troy and Gabbie making googly eyes at each other and Sharpay being … Sharpay.

Positive Elements

Senior Year is stuffed with more lessons than second-year algebra.

Trailing by 21 points, the Wildcats turn halftime into opportunity time as Coach Bolton (Troy’s father) says, “You’ve only got 16 minutes left in a Wildcat uniform. Make it count. Be a team.” As if to underscore that point, star player Troy dishes off the potential winning shot to a bench-warming underclassman.

Next up in this fancy-free high school diary? It’s far easier to play someone else than to be yourself, the drama teacher instructs. Troy and Chad offer a salute to the best parts of childhood in a junkyard musical number that tells moviegoers that imagination need never fade away. Even a prank launches a lesson in modesty: When two underclassmen barge into drama rehearsal dressed only in towels, the teacher says that while self-discovery is always good, “At East High we will discover ourselves fully clothed.”

Characters also grapple with weightier issues. Troy’s dad expects Troy to attend the University of Albuquerque and play basketball. Troy’s not so sure, but he doesn’t want to disappoint his pops. “I just want my future to be my future,” he tells Gabriella. It’s the kind of uneasy struggle that lots of real-life families deal with as children become adults, and at first Troy makes the mistake of keeping his indecision secret. But Troy and his father eventually navigate the matter well.

HSM3 salutes friendship, family, responsibility and opportunity. It embraces the idea of dreaming big—a time-honored Disney theme that, in other movies, can sometimes feel a tad irresponsible. But here, wishing upon a star is tempered by the onrushing reality of adulthood. “Maybe I don’t see life as a ball game anymore, man,” Troy tells best friend Chad.

After a bit of hesitation, Gabriella decides to attend Stanford—a bittersweet but responsible action that forces her out of East High early. Troy gamely encourages Gabriella to take the opportunity, even though it means they’ll separate that much earlier.

Granted, this is a Disney fantasy. Troy, Gabriella and nearly everyone else at East High graduates with big smiles on their faces. There’s nothing bittersweet about the finale. But within that framework, we see characters make difficult decisions and then make the best of those decisions—a message that’s encouraging, inspiring and even a bit realistic.

Spiritual Elements

Yoga and a Hindu-inspired bindi (on Sharpay’s mom’s forehead) get brief verbal and visual nods, respectively.

Sexual Content

The costumes are perhaps a tad more revealing than they are in the first two High School Musical s, with girls occasionally showing a significant amount of leg, a bit of cleavage and a sliver of midriff. A couple of guys race through the school wearing only towels, and Troy takes off his shirt. Dances are generally restrained, but can sometimes be a tad sultry—largely on par with previous outings. The camera zooms in on Sharpay’s rear as she walks down the halls of East High, with the brief scene bracketed by shots of swooning underclassmen.

Gabriella shares a pizza with Troy in her bedroom, apparently without Gabriella’s mother’s knowledge. (In an outtake, actor Zac Efron hams it up on the bed by pretending that he’s going to pounce on a giggling Vanessa Hudgens.) They share a brief kiss along with a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Violent Content

Troy takes a hard foul during a basketball game.

Crude or Profane Language

At worst, a use or two each of “golly,” “gee,” “gosh” and “moron.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

Suffering from senoritis, Troy and Chad grab other students’ clothes and run away, leading their towel-clad victims through the school. (Strangely, it’s the clothes-deprived kids who get detention.) Troy invites Gabriella up to the East High rooftop for a quick meeting. “This has two weeks of detention written all over it,” says Gabriella’s friend Taylor.

Sharpay, as designated foil, is selfish, materialistic and, as usual, tries to wriggle between Troy and Gabriella using underhanded means. She meets her match in Tiara, a recent transfer who, for ulterior motives, volunteers to be Sharpay’s personal assistant. But HSM3 does not condone either Sharpay’s or Tiara’s behavior, and they get their comeuppance before the credits roll.

In strict demographic terms, I should in no way enjoy High School Musical 3: Senior Year . I am male. I am over 30. I am married. I am sometimes grouchy and over-analytical. And I am not prone to be swayed by tales of young love—particularly when they involve singing and dancing.

But there are things about this series and this movie that win me over as surely as the Wildcats win their last big game. 1) Outside of a few slightly revealing costumes (most far tamer than you’ll see at a typical American mall), HSM3 is refreshingly clean. 2) It boasts reasonably upright moral messages. 3) The kids in it are flat-out talented. 4) It’s got heart. 5) It’s a fantasy story about what high school could (should) be without an ounce of overt cynicism to be found anywhere. 6) While wholeheartedly embracing formula, it somehow transcends it and becomes … entertaining.

It isn’t going to win many awards. But it may make old movie buffs (old movies, not old buffs) fondly recall 1940s-era black-and-white musicals—where the guy gets the girl, where people burst into song with little-to-no provocation, and where most every problem can be worked out by dancing up a storm.

A postscript: You probably know that High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens had some ill-advised photos taken of herself. You may have heard that Ashley Tisdale pitches Degree Girl deodorant that uses, as part of its slogan, the profanity-inspired letters “OMG.” And many parents may fear that this is just the beginning. We’ve all seen sweet-and-innocent Disney stars become less-so.

But that is not the stuff of High School Musical . This series—including its latest installment—is about nothing more (or less) than unflinching, unblushing, unspoiled fun.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year Review

22 Oct 2008

112 minutes

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

This threequel opens with a close-up on a sweaty grimace. It’s an incongruous image, given that the facial expressions generally associated with the High School Musical films are broad grins punctuated by romantic sighs. And for a moment it seems to signal a more adventuresome, more risqué High School Musical. It is, after all, their Senior Year.

But, of course, it doesn’t. This is a film so clean it squeaks, as shiny as its leads’ teeth and about as morally complex. Troy (Zac Efron) is torn between going to college on a basketball scholarship and trying out for Juilliard ’cause, well, he's gotta dance! This dilemma is complicated by the prospect of separation from true love Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), a supposedly Stanford-bound brain who never opens her mouth unless it will better allow her to simper.

That’s essentially the plot, once you’ve thrown in a high-school musical (the first in the franchise), along with some light stirring from drama queen Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale). But the story’s not the point — there are 14 musical numbers to be squeezed in, people.

The dancing is stunning, and while the songs aren’t as catchy as those of the first film, they’re a big step up from the second. Busby Berkeley and Bob Fosse are the references for two set-pieces, while there’s a scene in a junkyard full of lost extras from Mad Max or, more likely, BMX Bandits.

But while Efron’s still got fine comic timing, the same cannot be said of his cast-mates, many of whom lose all rhythm when faced with a joke rather than a two-step. It’s this earnestness that will forever separate this franchise from, say, Grease. Still, the kiddies will adore it.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Most likely to succeed in East High School's class of 2008 is Zac Efron. Director Kenny Ortega clearly knows it, moving the 21-year-old heartthrob center stage in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," the infectiously upbeat bigscreen extension of Disney Channel's runaway TV movie sensation.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

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Most likely to succeed in East High School ‘s class of 2008 is Zac Efron. Director Kenny Ortega clearly knows it, moving the 21-year-old heartthrob center stage in “ High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” the infectiously upbeat bigscreen extension of Disney Channel’s runaway TV movie sensation. By this point in the franchise, Efron seems to have outgrown his on-again/off-again love interest, leaving screenwriter Peter Barsocchini hard-pressed to cook up a fresh conflict — not that tween fans need one. Pic’s bouncy playlist and bigger musical numbers will see theaters packed with the faithful, while conveniently introducing a freshman cast to carry the torch in the process.

Given the built-in fan base for “High School Musical” — a phenomenon so popular, it’s been performed by hundreds of junior drama departments around the country — the Disney team didn’t have to do much to ensure a massive turnout. And yet Ortega, who tackled “Newsies” for the studio back in the day, seems determined to get it right, making excellent use of the wider canvas to stage his most impressive setpieces yet. Sharpay’s “I Want It All,” in particular, unfurls as an extravagant homage to Broadway — a far cry from the first film, in which the tunes were buried as karaoke duets or theater rehearsals for fear that musical-averse auds wouldn’t go for break-out-in-song moments. Starting small, Ortega has taught an entirely new generation to love musical theater.

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However, while Ortega and fellow choreographers Charles Klapow and Bonnie Story stretch their imaginations, there’s something almost lazy about the pic’s underachiever script. If the first film was like “West Side Story” (school basketball star falls for brainy transfer student) and the second was like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (the boy must now decide between the rich girl who offers him everything and the common one who captured his heart), “Senior Year” lacks a fresh central dilemma.

Pic begins with the Wildcats winning their second basketball championship. Gabriella (Hudgens) is headed for Stanford, while Troy (Efron) has a basketball scholarship to the local university, where his best friend, Chad ( Corbin Bleu ), and his father (Bart Johnson) expect him to go. So with graduation on the horizon, things are bittersweet between the couple, with Gabriella pulling away to avoid further heartbreak.

To complicate matters, drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) has invited recruiters from Juilliard to observe the senior year musical and award one student a scholarship. Troy’s in the running but seems largely undecided about his future, which is one reason the movie’s “I want” song, traditionally reserved for the protagonist in musicals, goes to attention hog Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) instead. Wowing Juilliard figures prominently in her own plans, even if it means trampling twin brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel, still the most talented of the bunch) and her new transfer-student groupie, Tiara (Jemma McKenzie-Brown), in the process.

Of course, the most pressing anxiety for “High School Musical 3” fans concerns where the cast goes from here. While two new basketball players emerge in Efron’s shadow (played by goofy-to-the-point-of-annoying Matt Prokop and pint-sized sidekick Justin Martin), neither seems particularly well-suited to fill his shoes. By contrast, there’s plenty of gold in the Sharpay-Tiara dynamic, which yields a hilarious fight for the spotlight.

As in the earlier films, Ortega employs a wide variety of musical genres, ranging from teen-angst rock anthem “Scream” to the boy-band-styled “The Boys Are Back,” adapting the styles to the participating characters’ states of mind at that moment. Latter number yields the pic’s most original choreography, as Troy and Chad reconnect with their inner children in a salvage yard full of great dance props, a reminder of the team’s gift for organically creating playful dance moves from nearly any situation.

By releasing the songs in advance, Disney may have found an answer to their mostly forgettable quality: After listening to them enough on their MP3 players, young auds may think of them as standards. But it’s the staging, not the music (which has a disembodied studio sound and never quite synchs with the characters), that makes “High School Musical 3” worthy of the bigscreen — though the Efron factor doesn’t hurt.

• Production: A Walt Disney Pictures release of a Borden & Rosenbush Entertainment production. Produced by Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush. Executive producer, Kenny Ortega; co-producer, Don Schain. Directed by Kenny Ortega. Screenplay, Peter Barsocchini, based on characters created by Barsocchini.
• Crew: Camera (color), Daniel Aranyo; editor, Don Brochu; music, David Lawrence; production designer, Mark Hofeling; art director, Wing Lee; costume designer, Caroline B. Marx; sound (Dolby Digital, SDDS, DTS), Douglas Cameron; supervising sound editor, John Leveque; choreographers, Ortega, Charles Klapow, Bonnie Story; assistant director, Mark Hansson; casting, Jason La Padura, Natalie Hart. Reviewed at Galen Center, Los Angeles, Oct. 16. MPAA Rating: G. Running time: 109 MIN.
• With: Troy Bolton - Zac Efron Gabriella Montez - Vanessa Hudgens Sharpay Evans - Ashley Tisdale Ryan Evans - Lucas Grabeel Chad Danforth - Corbin Bleu Taylor McKessie - Monique Coleman Kelsi Nielsen - Olesya Rulin With: Chris Warren Jr., Ryne Sanborn, Kaycee Stroh, Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed, Matt Prokop, Justin Martin, Jemma McKenzie-Brown.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

As seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring music... Read all As seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. As seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

• Kenny Ortega
• Peter Barsocchini
• Vanessa Hudgens
• Ashley Tisdale
• 204 User reviews
• 126 Critic reviews
• 57 Metascore
• 8 wins & 9 nominations

• Troy Bolton

• Gabriella Montez

• Sharpay Evans

• Chad Danforth

• Taylor McKessie

• Kelsi Nielsen

• Zeke Baylor
• (as Chris Warren Jr.)

• Jason Cross

• (as Kaycee Stroh)

• Coach Bolton

• Jimmie Zara

• Mrs. Bolton
• (as Leslie Wing Pomeroy)
• Mrs. Montez

• Mr. Danforth
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Zac Efron injured his wrist while filming the spinning corridor scene featured in the song "Scream."
• Goofs Troy gets green paint on his hands, then climbs over the white fence without getting green paint on it.

Chad Danforth : [Embarrassed about asking Taylor to prom in the middle of the lunchroom. Practically whispering] So, uh, hey. I was kinda wondering if you'd maybe go with me.

Taylor McKessie : Oh, hey Chad. They have tuna surprise on the menu. It's good. Really good.

Chad Danforth : [to Troy] Dude.

[Troy shrugs]

Chad Danforth : Taylor, hey, I'm, I'm asking you to prom.

Taylor McKessie : Oh, I'm sorry, I can't hear you 'cause it's so loud in here.

Taylor McKessie : Did you hear something?

Kelsi Nielsen : No.

Martha Cox : Neither did I.

Troy Bolton : Okay, uh,

[to the students in the lunchroom]

Troy Bolton : excuse me. Excuse me, everybody.

Chad Danforth : What are you...

Troy Bolton : Uh,

Troy Bolton : *yo*!

[Everyone quiets down and looks at them]

Chad Danforth : [In shock that he has everyone's attention] Oh.

Troy Bolton : My friend has something to say.

Chad Danforth : [Climbs up on a table] Taylor McKessie, will you *please* be my date to the Senior Prom?

Taylor McKessie : [Leans in with Gabriella, Kelsi and Martha, talking quietly. After a moment, she stands] I'd be honored!

[Hugs him, then starts talking excitedly with the girls]

Chad Danforth : [to Troy as they're walking away] Dude, I need to go shoot some hoops, or something.

Troy Bolton : [Claps him on the back] You nailed it, man!

• Crazy credits There is a music video during the credits: "Just Getting Started" by the "High School Musical: Get in the Picture" reality show winner Stan Carrizosa.
• Alternate versions The extended version released in Bluray and DVD runs 1h 57min (5 minutes longer). The longer sequence added include new footage and a short song performed by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens in a duet.
• Connections Featured in Disney Through the Decades (2001)
• Soundtracks Now or Never Written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil Performed by Corbin Bleu , Vanessa Hudgens and The High School Musical 3: Senior Year Cast Produced by Matthew Gerrard

User reviews 204

• SophomoreSlump
• Oct 28, 2008
• How long is High School Musical 3: Senior Year? Powered by Alexa
• Where is Gabriella's dad?
• Is this the last High School Musical?
• What are the differences between the theatrical cut and the extended cut?
• October 24, 2008 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• High School Musical 3
• East High School - 840 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Borden and Rosenbush Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $11,000,000 (estimated)
• $90,559,416
• $42,030,184
• Oct 26, 2008
• $252,909,177

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 52 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

If you're gay and/or eight years old, HSM3 is the movie event of the year. From the first leering close-up of Zac Efron shaking off sweat on the basketball court before bursting into sappy song, the movie — like the two TV movies that preceded it — is a nonthreatening sexual marshmallow. But did it have to be so synthetic, so devoid of feisty life? Where's Gossip Girl 's Chuck Bass when you need him? Efron and co-star Vanessa Hudgens have charm. But director Kenny Ortega buries them in formula dances, forgettable tunes and dialogue that makes Grease sound like Greek tragedy. I especially gagged on the egregious group number "We're All in This Together." You wish.

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Clive James once said that some cultural artefacts are so bland they "taste of cellophane". High School Musical 3: Senior Year makes cellophane taste like chicken jalfrezi. Yet behind the blandness - perhaps even generating the blandness as a symptom - there is something weird and conflicted going on.

This is the commercial apotheosis of the High School Musical brand. The unthreatening Disney teen drama started life just two years ago as a small-screen product, became the centrepiece for a trillion tweenie-girly sleepovers, and now, at threequel stage, merits a fully-fledged theatrical release which might even threaten Mamma Mia's rule at the box office.

Oh. My. God. Going to see it on a date would feel like being the hapless couple arriving in Stepford for the first time: the sheer squeaky-cleanness of everything is creepy, and when the characters are called upon to dance, they do so with robotic efficiency, and sing in that decaffeinated high vibrato, like 21st-century Hollywood castrati. As ever, Zac Efron plays teen cutester Troy Bolton, who totally rules the school basketball court without his artfully contrived fringe ever becoming disordered. Vanessa Hudgens is Gabriella, the talented young singer and dancer with whom Troy appears to be going steady in a sweet'n'innocent way, though the film has a quasi-Bollywood reluctance to show kissing on the lips.

Once again, they find themselves appearing together in the high school musical and Troy even finds that his future in college sports is open to question: should he instead try out for New York's prestigious Juilliard school for the performing arts? The all-important show is once again underpinned by the school's brother-and-sister combo: Sharpay, a Valley-Girl princess played by Ashley Tisdale, and her choreographer brother Ryan, played by Lucas Grabeel, who here looks like the crazed love-child of Will Arnett and Jonny Lee Miller.

The "high school" genre is traditionally the horniest in Hollywood, but HSM3 is utterly sexless. Or is it? Take Ryan for example. With his white hat, knee-length white trousers, and undoubted talent for choreography, he's supposed to be ... well, erm, different. Hints are dropping like bricks, but nothing is ever said. The shy, mousy, brainy and - get this - bespectacled Kelsi (played by Olesya Rulin) who composes all the showtunes, and winds up getting invited to the prom by bitchy Ryan as a ruse ... well. I'm not sure dating is all that much of a priority for her either.

Then there's Troy. Troy has to figure out some big things about himself. Is he a jock or not? For years, he thought he was a basketball player. Yet now he finds the world of Broadway showtunes may be more his thing after all. And is he gonna be with Gabriella ... or not? It's a choice that makes Troy's be-fringed features go dreamily, enigmatically blank. Well, millions of high-schoolers all over the world are confused as to who they really are. And many grown-ups professionally involved in the glorious business we call show - perhaps even the people who worked on this very HSM franchise - have painful memories of this dilemma, brought to a crisis by their own school play. Troy finally manages to fudge the issue. He accepts a college place at Berkeley, where he can be both a basketball player and a showtunes person. Is that what they call bi-disciplinary? I think Troy is kidding himself.

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Film review: high school musical 3: senior year.

This latest effort unfortunately has the blandness of a mediocre TV sitcom, but that won't deter young audiences, who should turn the movie into a major hit at the boxoffice.

By Stephen Farber

Stephen Farber

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The enormous success of “High School Musical” and its sequel on Disney Channel made it practically inevitable that the studio would try to recycle the concept for feature films. If producers can make movie versions of such ancient TV shows as “Starsky and Hutch” and “The A-Team,” it’s a no-brainer to reproduce this kid-friendly franchise that scored phenomenal ratings in this millennium.

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The movie begins with a blast of energy as basketball star Troy (Zac Efron) not only leads his team to victory but also belts out a song while he’s shooting hoops. When the story kicks in, well … it never really does kick in.

Once again, the kids are preparing a school musical, but because it’s senior year, they’re also lining up prom dates and thinking about college. The tensions that arise — should Troy go to the U of A to play basketball or to Juilliard on a music scholarship? — aren’t exactly the stuff of high drama. The only conflict is again provided by scheming rich girl Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), who hopes to usurp the place of Troy’s girlfriend, Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), both on and offstage. Sharpay never represents a serious threat, though this time she’s been given an Eve Harrington-type assistant clawing at her heels.

Without any riveting plot complications, we’re reduced to waiting for the next musical number to jump-start the picture. The songs are an engaging melange of rock, rap and Broadway-style ballads, but they aren’t truly memorable. The choreographic high point is a rousing number in an auto junkyard.

But all of the actors have talent to burn. Efron gets plenty of chances to bat his baby blues, and he sings and dances boisterously. Hudgens adds warmth during their duets. It’s too bad that the adults, such as the parents or the school drama teacher, have such one-dimensional roles.

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High School Musical 3 - Senior Year Parent Guide

For fans of the franchise who have sung and danced their way through the pervious two made-for-tv movies, this theatrical release is sure to be just what they were hoping for..

After singing and dancing their way into the hearts of millions of TV viewers in two Disney Channel original movies, the cast of High School Musical reassembles for this theatrical outing. This time the gang from East High is ready to graduate. Realizing the future will likely lead them in separate directions, Troy (Zac Efron), Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) prepare to stage their last performance.

Release date October 24, 2008

Run Time: 109 minutes

Official Movie Site

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by donna gustafson.

Oh, if only life were a High School Musical ! Song and dance numbers for every occasion, your best friends always by your side and the promise of a happy ending. Yet even for the characters of this movie, who are now in their Senior Year , the recognition that life cannot stay in this seemingly ideal place forever is beginning to creep into their consciousnesses.

This realization is perhaps hardest on Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and his girlfriend Gabriela Montez (Vanessa Hudgens). Having discovered each other and a love for singing a couple of years earlier (as depicted in the first High School Musical movie), the upcoming graduation ceremony means the break-up of their perfect duet. It may mean the same for their relationship too, because Gabriela has been accepted at Stanford University in California and Troy has a basketball scholarship for the University of Albuquerque in New Mexico.

Of course, all these dilemmas are depicted through elaborately choreographed sequences. For fans of the franchise who have sung and danced their way through the pervious two made-for-TV movies, this theatrical release is sure to be just what they were hoping for. And for parents, who have been grateful for entertainment with depictions of good role models, this production won’t let them down. The only content of note in this family film are some slightly shorter skirts and a body suit amongst the girls’ costumes, a couple of boys forced to run through the schools wrapped only in towels when practicable jokers steal their clothes, and a few scuffles on the basketball court. Although there are depictions of teens exerting their independence by making their own choices, there is still plenty of respect shown to parents and teachers.

While we all know real life isn’t as simple as a High School Musical , it is still nice sometimes to escape to somewhere where music, dance and good friends are in abundance. A place that reminds us the best approach to making tough decisions is to remember, “We’re all in this together.”

About author

Donna Gustafson

High school musical 3 - senior year rating & content info.

Why is High School Musical 3 - Senior Year rated G? High School Musical 3 - Senior Year is rated G by the MPAA

Like its predecessors, High School Musical 3 is devoid of profanities, smoking, alcohol use and sexual content—with the exception of a few tiny skirts (that are inching upward compared to the previous films) and some revealing dance outfits. Teens kiss. A couple of boys wrapped in towels run out of the locker room and through the school pursuing two practical jokers who have stolen their clothes. A very mild confrontation on the basketball court is the only moment that is vaguely violent.

Page last updated July 25, 2016

High School Musical 3 - Senior Year Parents' Guide

As with musicals from decades ago, reality is suspended in the happy world inhabited by these characters. While this movie may not represent real life, can you think of films that depict a negative adolescent world that is just as unrealistic? Why do films that depict rosy scenarios often receive more criticism than “darker” movies?

Deciding on future careers as you leave high school is often overwhelming. Do you believe these decisions are “final”; or is it okay to make many career decisions throughout your lifetime?

The most recent home video release of High School Musical 3 - Senior Year movie is February 17, 2009. Here are some details…

High School Musical 3: Senior Year releases to home video in three versions. The single disc edition includes the theatrical version of the movie plus Cast Goodbyes (a behind the scenes look as the stars of HSM3 bid farewell). Audio tracks are available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (English).

High School Musical 3: Senior Year also comes in a 2-Disc Extended Edition (featuring additional scenes). This package includes the Cast Goodbyes along with HSM 3 Bloopers, deleted scenes (with introductions by director Kenny Ortega), Night Of Nights (behind the Prom Scene with the cast), It’s All In The Dress (the girls gossip about the gowns) and a sing-along mode. As well, there is a DisneyFile Digital Download Copy Disc. Audio tracks are available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (English).

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is offered on Blu-ray as well. This 2-disc set contains all the aforementioned extras found on the 2-disc DVD edition, plus the extended version of the film on Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital Download Copy . There are two additional featurettes ( New Cast Profiles and Senior Awards ) and an interactive BD-LivePhoto Feature. Audio tracks are available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (English and Spanish).

Related home video titles:

High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which is releasing theatrically, is the follow up to two made-for-TV movies: High School Musical and High School Musical 2 . Concerns about loosing their friendship as they part ways for summer vacation causes four girls to start a group called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants .

High School Musical 3 : The Critic's Review

• High School Musical 3 : The Critic's Review" data-count="horizontal" data-related="TIMEPolitics,techland" class="twitter-share-button">Tweet

From left, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale and Jason Williams in High School Musical 3

The lights snap off at the Empire Theatre on Times Square and a piercing chorus of girls' squeals instantly fills the room, zero to sixty in a half-second, like audio-electroshock therapy or the first jolt of Beatlemania. It's a release of energy the Disney marketeers have savvily built up since High School Musical made its debut on the Disney Channel in Jan. 2006. The TV movie broke ratings records, and so did its spinoff CD, which was the year's top-selling album in the U.S. Last year's High School Musical 2 , also on the Disney Channel, topped that: the CD was #1 in America and the world. But all this was so much seed-sowing for the first installment — High School Musical 3: Senior Year — to play in movie theaters. Industry savants are predicting a robust $35 million gross this weekend, which could amount to the all-time biggest tweener pajama party.

The squealing at the Empire told you that kids (mostly girls) who are the franchise's target audience know the difference between watching a TV movie at home and seeing their idols on a 50-foot screen. The smooth adorableness of teen dream Zac Efron is now available in giant economy size. The deep dimples of his costar Vanessa Hudgens now loom, in microscopic close-up, like the mountain crevasses in an IMAX travelog; a bear cub could hibernate in one of them. And the dance numbers — the real reason some adults don't mind a 100-min. HSM babysit — now have the size and breadth they deserve. High School Musical 3 is High School Movie 1 .

Written by Peter Barsocchini and directed by Kenny Ortega — the team behind the first two films — HSM3 takes us back to Albuquerque's East High School, where jock-muffin Troy (Efron) met and fell in love with brainy exchange student Gabriella (Hudgens) in the original HSM ; they and their pals all took summer jobs at a local resort in HSM2 . Now it's senior year, a time for looking back and ahead, for wondering whether the friendships soldered at East High will be sundered as the kids move on to college. Can they remain Best Friends Forever? Gab has been accepted to Stanford; Troy is expected to be the star of the local U. of A. basketball team. But before they graduate they must compose, stage and star in a musical about the relationships they've formed in the last four years. They'll call it... High School Musical !

That a 5ft. 9in. white kid would be seen as a hoops savior is just one cue that the HSM movies dwell in a Disney fantasyland. Another is the obsessively color-coordinated outfits the kids wear to school, and touches of extravagant decor, like Troy's tree house, as big as an Astaire-Rogers Deco suite, redecorated in retro-rustic. (The roof opens too, apparently at voice command.) The biggest leap of make-believe is that the high school experience is wunnnnnderful — though this view is no less reductive than the one, in so many comedies and horror movies, that says high school is a Hades of sadistic cliques in constant turmoil. Where films in those genres go for the gross, the G-rated HSM is freakishly squeakishly clean. Nobody's going to say a bad word or poop in the soup. What Disneyland's Main Street is to suburban planning, this movie is to adolescence.

Though it is set in Albuquerque, the movie, like its predecessors, was shot in Salt Lake City; and there's something cheerfully (if secularly) Mormon about the whole enterprise. It dares to dramatize the innocent emotion of good kids. The movie has its rich-bitch marplot in Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), the Sarah Jessica Parker of East High, who's sometimes abetted by her twin brother, the prematurely gay Ryan (Lucas Grabeel); but there's not a drop of danger in Sharpay or any other character here. The friction between Danny the hood and Sandy the prom girl in Grease is psychodrama compared to Troy and Gab. They're really the musical soulmates of old MGM's Mickey and Judy, or maybe old Disney's Mickey and Minnie.

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Short takes

Parental guidance recommended under 5 due to potential lack of interest.

This topic contains:

• overall comments and recommendations
• details of classification and consumer advice lines for High School Musical 3: Senior Year
• a review of High School Musical 3: Senior Year completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 4 December 2008 .

Overall comments and recommendations

About the movie.

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• use of violence
• material that may scare or disturb children
• product placement
• sexual references
• nudity and sexual activity
• use of substances
• coarse language
• the movie’s message

A synopsis of the story

It’s the final year of school at East High, Albuquerque, and the Wildcats narrowly beat their opponents in the final basketball match for the year. It’s time to think about graduation, the prom and the final school production. School prima donna, Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) wants to take centre stage but Kelsi (Olesya Rulin), the composer,  persuades everyone to make a collaborative effort and put on a great show for their last year. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and his girlfriend Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) are given lead roles, much to the disgust of Sharpay. The end of high school also means that many difficult decisions have to be made regarding what the future holds and, for most of the students, this means deciding which college to attend. Gabriella is offered a prestigious honours course at Stanford University which is a long way from Albuquerque and would mean giving up her role in the performance, missing her prom and separating from Troy.  Troy is also torn between basketball, the path his father wants him to take, or the performing arts, which is where his drama teacher thinks he should go.

Themes info

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Stage rivalry; career choices

Use of violence info

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

There is some violence in this movie including:

• some rough play on the basketball court
• Troy slaps another boy on the face

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under five info.

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:

• noise and shouting on the basketball court
• two boys have a bad collision on the basketball court

Aged five to eight info

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

Children over five are unlikely to be disturbed by anything in this film.

Aged eight to thirteen info

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

Children in this age group are unlikely to be disturbed by anything in this film.

Thirteen and over info

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

Product placement

None of concern

Sexual references

Nudity and sexual activity.

There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie, including:

• hand holding and gentle kissing

Use of substances

Coarse language, in a nutshell.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is a family-friendly musical aimed at the tween and teen market. It is the first in this series to be released for the big screen. Although lacking a complex plot or developed characters, it has some great song and dance sequences and features talented performers. The main messages from this movie are about finding yourself and deciding what is important in life. Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include the importance of working as a team.

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Movie review: High School Musical 3: Senior Year

I was ready to see the third High School Musical installment the minute the second one ended. Throughout the summer, I watched the trailers on YouTube, listened to the soundtrack the second it debuted, and even watched the behind-the-scenes snippets on Disney Channel. The trailers seemed promising, even though the music was unimpressive. But after I finally saw the movie nothing was more disappointing than the annoying and poorly developed characters, scattered plot and mediocre music scenes in High School Musical 3: Senior Year .

The movie starts off with the usual East High Wildcats facing what Disney defines as stereotypical senior problems, such as choosing a college and learning how to say goodbye. Like the past two movies, the movie focused on the relationship between Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens). The two struggle with learning how to leave home and each other when Gabriella has a chance to go to college early. Also back, Disney bad girl, Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale), who still strives for the spotlight and her brother, Ryan, her puppy-dog follower who is still trying to find himself.

But in addition to those subplots, other characters deal with asking each other to prom, earning college scholarships, trying to put on the spring musical (which Disney cleverly names … High School Musical), and planning for their future. Disney also introduces two annoyingly shallow characters, Tiara Gold (Jemma McKenzie-Brown), a British foreign exchange student portrayed as a Sharpay mini-me, and Jimmie “Rocketman” (Matt Prokop), a less refined version of the hunky Troy Bolton. Both characters are thrown into the movie at random moments, speak only when spoken to, and play parts so insignificant they seem only to be filler characters. 

With so many miniature dilemmas, it was as if Disney didn’t even know what to do and threw everything into one pot, hoping fans would love the pretty faces enough to not care that there was no plot.

Even more disappointing, the music scenes lacked Disney magic. In the past, I’ve always liked at least half of the HSM tracks and dance routines, but this movie failed to even give me two solid songs. The movie started strong with “Now or Never, ” with beats fitting nicely with the basketball game and a cheesy duet between Gabriella (singing to Troy from the stands “You can do it just know that I believe,”) and Troy (“And that’s all I really need/ Make me strong/ It’s time to turn it up/ Game on!”). But the rest of the songs were downright awful. “Can I Have this Dance” was a miserable attempt at creating a sappy rain scene that resulted in an inharmonic duet between the two lovers. And I was ready to walk out of that theater if it were not for my loyalty to Disney when I saw the wannabe Michael Jackson number, “Scream,” in which Efron glided through the halls of East High at night.

But the movie got worse. Troy, sulky whenever Gabriella was absent, took up a majority of the screen time with nothing to contribute except a whiny persona. Sharpay was irritating with her digitalized voice and disgusting self-obsession. Except for the first six minutes, this movie was a waste of my time. Disney needs to stop trying to prolong the magic created in their first movies and learn that some movies don’t need sequels.

Whenever I would watch Disney’s High School Musical, I’d sing along to the catchy songs. Sometimes I’d sing in public, which was especially embarrassing since it wasn’t really a guy thing, but it was definitely fun. As a fan of the High School Musical franchise I was giddy at the idea of the series finally appearing in theaters. And for fans like me, High School Musical 3: Senior Year delivers.

The third movie opens with one of my favorite songs, “Now or Never” as the East High basketball team plays in the state finals Facing a huge deficit the Wildcats make a furious rally for the championship led by Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), while Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) cheers him on by singing that she believes in him. This peppy song got me excited for the rest of the movie. It was already enough to justify the long wait for the movie’s release, and it was also a sign of even more great numbers to come.

The movie tackles a lot of the big choices teenagers have to make once they reach senior year. Troy and Gabriella have to deal with keeping their romance alive while choosing different colleges. Troy also has to choose between his love of basketball and his love of acting. Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel) finally steps out of his sister Sharpay’s (Ashley Tisdale) shadow and starts pursuing his own dream.

I do have a couple small complaints. The plot is a little confusing, with too many subplo and a few minor characters are added, yet barely used. An example is Tiara Gold, a British girl who becomes Sharpay’s personal assistant, and later aspires to become the main star of the drama department. In the end it served its purpose, as Sharpay finally learns how it feels to be humiliated. The problem is that Tiara gets about five minutes of screen time.

Still, I don’t feel I should be too harsh critiquing this movie. It’s made for a younger audience, not the Academy Awards. This was an entertaining and fitting end for the original cast as they closed out the movie with the trademark High School Musical jumping pose from the original movie’s advertisement poster. But even though the movie ended, the fun doesn’t end here. I still haven’t memorized the songs, so the first thing I’ll do is pick up the soundtrack and start practicing for everyone at school to hear. Let the embarrassment commence.

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High school musical, common sense media reviewers.

A modern-day Grease for tweens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

No direct educational content, but kids will proba

Strong, clear positive messages about being true t

Gabriella is praised and appreciated for her acade

Mild flirting, with the teenage leads almost shari

"Shake your booty" pops up in song lyrics.

Part of a gigantic marketing machine fueled by Dis

Parents need to know that High School Musical is a made-for-TV movie that's hugely popular with tweens -- and has spawned its own marketing empire, from CDs to clothes to video games. Its sanitized depiction of high school may not ring true to older teens, but tweens will get strong messages about acceptance…

Educational Value

No direct educational content, but kids will probably learn lots of song lyrics!

Positive Messages

Strong, clear positive messages about being true to yourself and reaching outside your comfort zone.

Positive Role Models

Gabriella is praised and appreciated for her academic ability. One central character tries to cheat but eventually sees the error of her ways. The cast is diverse. Troy and his dad exchange some heated words, but they reach an understanding that works for both of them. Characters learn and demonstrate empathy, teamwork, and integrity.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Mild flirting, with the teenage leads almost sharing a kiss in the final scene. There's one kiss on the cheek, and Efron is shirtless in one scene.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Part of a gigantic marketing machine fueled by Disney.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that High School Musical is a made-for-TV movie that's hugely popular with tweens -- and has spawned its own marketing empire, from CDs to clothes to video games. Its sanitized depiction of high school may not ring true to older teens, but tweens will get strong messages about acceptance and being true to yourself -- as well as about supporting your friends when they want to try something new. A father-son relationship is tested when the boy asserts his independence, and there are some near-kisses between the lead couple, but overall this is tame stuff. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (34)
• Kids say (156)

Based on 34 parent reviews

AMAZING MOVIE!

What's the story.

Filled with important messages, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is an upbeat made-for-TV movie about a pair of teens who, after discovering a mutual love of song, overcome pressure from friends to ditch their newfound hobby. Troy ( Zac Efron ) and Gabriella ( Vanessa Anne Hudgens ) meet when they are paired for a New Year's Eve karaoke contest while vacationing with their families. Once they return to East High, Troy, captain of the school's basketball team, and studious Gabriella, who has just transferred in, find out that they're in the same homeroom class and become friends. And when auditions are announced for the school's musical, the pair decides to try out. Their duet is impressive enough to earn a callback, which sparks the anger of usual lead performers Sharpay Evans ( Ashley Tisdale ) and her brother Ryan ( Lucas Grabeel ). Also unhappy are the members of Gabriella's academic decathlon team, who need her help to win an upcoming match, and Troy's teammates, who have been practicing for an important championship game. Fearful that the pair might choose singing over them, the groups work together to convince Gabriella that Troy is no longer interested in trying out for the play. But once they see how hurtful their actions are, they come clean, and Gabriella and Troy figure out a way to do everything.

Is It Any Good?

What infuses this movie with much of its spunk are Efron's and Hudgens' lively performances; both come across as friendly, well-adjusted, and immensely likable. During the song-and-dance-filled musical numbers -- including "Breaking Free," "Start of Something New," and "We're All in This Together" (all Billboard 100 hits) -- High School Musical sometimes feels more like a music video. The only thing that really detracts from the movie is the sugar-coated way that it portrays issues that regularly cause teens angst, such as entrenched cliques, self-esteem, and peer pressure. The world of High School Musical seems to be right next door to Pleasantville , where everything works out and everyone gets along in the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about whether the characters in High School Musical good role models. What do you think the filmmakers want kids to take away from watching this movie?

What are some ways to resist peer pressure? How can teens stand up to friends who belittle their choices or talents?

Why is it important to try new things?

How do the characters in High School Musical demonstrate integrity , empathy , and teamwork ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : January 20, 2006
• On DVD or streaming : May 23, 2006
• Cast : Ashley Tisdale , Vanessa Hudgens , Zac Efron
• Director : Kenny Ortega
• Inclusion Information : Gay directors, Female actors, Asian actors
• Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
• Genre : Musical
• Character Strengths : Empathy , Integrity , Teamwork
• Run time : 98 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Award : Common Sense Media Award
• Last updated : May 19, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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High School Musical

Where to watch.

Watch High School Musical with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Prime Video, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

High School Musical is brazenly saccharine, but it makes up for it with its memorable show tunes, eye-popping choreography, and appealing cast.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Kenny Ortega

Troy Bolton

Vanessa Hudgens

Gabriella Montez

Ashley Tisdale

Sharpay Evans

Lucas Grabeel

Alyson Reed

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