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High School Musical 2 (2007) (TV) More at IMDbPro »

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150 comments in total

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115 out of 193 people found the following comment useful :-
What Time Is It? Time To Cash In! (and why HSM does exactly that), 14 August 2007

Author: Kevin Johnson (nivekj1@gmail.com) from Tallahassee, Florida

I've finally found out the reason why the High School Musical phenomenon is such a success. Why the first movie's soundtrack was the top-selling CD of last year. Why there are ice shows, stage productions (amateur and pro), karaoke CDs, and karaoke DVDs to boot. It all traces back to the 90s.

You see, the 1990s gave birth to NSync, Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, Britney, Christina, Jessica, what have you. But their time wasn't meant for the 90s. They had come too early. Music honestly wasn't ready to cycle back to the confectionery, syrupy, Velveeta meets cotton candy of the late 50s/ early 60s. But now is the time.

The reason that High School Musical, and now Part 2, are such a success is because 1990'S POP MUSIC IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE!!! High School Musical was the Reset Button, if you will, setting kidz-bop-pop back in its rightful place. Adults have their music, their innuendos, their profane-angry-paranoid-hurtfully honest songs. Why not give the kids a break? A place to be a kid?

The sequel does a great job of avoiding the urge to fix what's unbroken, but instead to polish it. This film isn't darker, but it is spunkier. More attitude, and even more confidence (if that's hard to imagine). This film is strictly for A) kids, and B) people who not only remember but enjoyed being kids. High School Musical 2 is a burst of joyful exuberance. Winks towards adult audiences have their place, but so do productions where a kid isn't talked down to or expected to grow up too fast.

The straight-up theater pop of the first has been replaced with more of a Hip-Hop/ Arena Pop edge. Less Broadway, more Billboard. Plus, the mythological task of defeating high school cliques has been replaced with simply earning a check for the summer. The movie wants to feel bigger than the last, but it's actually more intimate. That's an unintended plus.

The cast goes through some drama this time around, and some changes are made, character-wise. This was the biggest surprise. Disney Channel could have simply done a rehash of the first film, but everyone involved truly did a great job. I forgot that, as corny as the premise - the whole franchise - is, these guys can really act. And sing. And dance. No wonder Disney gonna's make a fortune.

And no wonder musical theater is so rough. Every single participant has to be a Triple Threat. But that's part of the fantasy of the first film: making the audition, giving it your all, and gaining the applause and support of your peers. What's great about this second movie is, really it's about the reverse of that. LOSING the support of your peers. Losing yourself in search of something you don't really need, not yet anyway. It's a good message: The future will come soon enough. Enjoy being a kid and being with the ones who love you while you still can.

Still, if this second movie doesn't match up to the first, it's because of moving it away from the dream of Triple Talent Status. No longer a musical about a musical, it instead becomes a musical about a country club. Instead of risking social status to be yourself, to find yourself, it is now about the dangers of losing yourself, by giving into social status. More dramatic, sure. A stroke of genius, I would say, except for the fact that it's still a freakin' High School Musical movie, not a Country Club Musical movie.

By moving into more complex territory, it grows up. But by default, it is less fun, just a smidgen less, than the original. To its credit, it isn't stale (the new setting keeps it fresh), but Disney Channel, Ortega, and all company involved will be hard pressed to create a three-quel that's just as fun, lively and CHOCK FULL OF 90'S POP as the original. A return to the theater would be welcome.

As for the songs themselves, let's just say I've been fair enough to comment that I enjoyed the MOVIE for what it was. Disney's been great at soundtracks but they'll have to do a lot better for part 3. Aside from the opener and a baseball game/swing number, there's not much to enjoy this time around, once again due in part to the removal of the high school locale.

The kids will LOVE IT, the parents will Tolerate it, Disney Channel will collect money hand over fist, and everyone else will have no idea what is going on because they've failed to realize (A) what it meant to be a kid, (B) that 90's Pop Music is back with a vengeance, and (C) everybody wants to sing and dance, even if they don't want to admit it.

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53 out of 90 people found the following comment useful :-
Danger! America's IQ is dropping!, 15 June 2008

Author: soitgoes5 from United States

Okay, so the day the first High School Musical came out I watched a documentary on PBS instead, so I had no idea what horrors were going on at Disney Channel until the next day at school. I stepped into class and WHAM! I hear everyone belting out "We're soarin', flyin'," and "We're all in this together!" and I was like, "What the heck are you guys singing?" and in unison they cried, "High School Musical!" and I could literally see America's IQ was falling. So I decided to see it for my self, and I must say I was sickened by the time they got to, "Stick to the Status Quo." No song should actually tell you to be average. I was disgusted by all the actors, especially Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, who seemed to have no brains at all, for bringing this message to the world. And now High School Musical 2. Even worse than the first. It's completely devoid of any intelligence. And don't think I'm some teenager watching R-rated horror movies-I'm a twelve-year-old watching R-rated Oscar winners. I'm not saying parents have to let their kids watch Silence of the Lambs instead of High School Musical-but please, at least let them watch decent musicals/movies, like The Sound of Music or Dr. Strangelove (which is not a musical but still great-and rated PG! Don't say your kids won't get the jokes either-I got them when I was seven!) or maybe Singing in the Rain. Not this crud. Do you really want your kids watching airheaded rich kids complain about their boyfriends/girlfriends and how terrible their lives are? I didn't think so. Please, save America's movie reputation by bringing and end to High School Musical!!!

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28 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
Completely unnecessary, badly written, and an unfortunate display of the Disney Channel's downward spiral, 22 August 2007

Author: randomspontaneity from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I really wish I could think of this movie in a way other than negatively.

I cannot stand sequels in general, and this one, I must say, was one of the most pointless. High School Musical centered around...well, just that. High School Musical 2 had nothing to do with a musical; it was simply a group of almost-juniors (or whatever grade they're in) getting summer jobs with each other and the issues they face with the jobs. Sure, there was a performance at the end, but that doesn't make up for the absence of the movie's namesake. The plot line was bland and really predictable: Jealous girl loves cute guy who's into another girl, so jealous girl gets angry and goes out of her way to make sure the relationship fails, but jealous girl's plan blows up in her face. Have we not seen that enough in our own lives? I was not thrilled to learn that a High School Musical 2 was being made, but I decided to give it a chance anyway. After viewing the movie, all I can say is this: HSM2 is just another example of how Disney Channel has evolved from a decent channel to a complete wreck.

The one good thing of this movie was Ashley Tisdale's performance; she got the character of Sharpay spot-on. (Edit: After being forced to watch the movie multiple times over, I have "repealed" my statement on Ashley Tisdale's performance: She went completely over the top. No one acts like that; it's not even CLOSE to realistic. She's like a slightly smarter, more catty version of Paris Hilton.)

A very unfortunate 1/10.

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20 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
OK singing and dancing, unconvincing plot, 15 August 2007

Author: floofloo from Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I loved the first high school musical film so I paid for the on demand to see this sequel earlier. However, it wasn't up to my expectation.

Surely there were new outfits(including bathing suits), larger stage sets, better choreography, and various styles of songs. So it was not bad if you just want to see more singing and dancing, or if you are fans that only expect to see them again.

But I felt there was something lacking. I sensed more of showing off other than real passionate acting in there (Well, it must be hard to do so after they become famous), which made the characters pop out of the story and become unreal. And the plot (especially the ending) was dry and unconvincing, making it even worse.

HERE STARTS THE SPOILER -------------------------------------------

Firstly, the setting in the resort country club wasn't indeed necessary. It doesn't need to be in the country club to play base ball, swimming, or join a talent show. And the golf scenes actually made the plot weaker because it is hard to believe that Troy was "naturally" gifted in golf as well. Come on, he is a human after all. Making everyone else play stupidly wouldn't make him more like a genius. On the other hand, Sharpay's make up reminds me nothing more than Paris Hilton, especially her sun glasses and hair styles. And it is so sad to see that supporting roles didn't have chance to show their own personalities at all this time.

The major weakness is the ending. By the time I saw Troy coming back to talk to Sharpay, I was expecting Sharpay and Troy to sing together then Ryan and Gabriella. But no, Sharpay and Ryan has nothing to do with it in the end. Ryan asked Troy to do a favor for Sharpay, which turned out to be just another revenge to his sister, as if rejecting her in face was not enough. He directed the show knowing Troy wouldn't be singing, then in another split second he suddenly gave his role to Troy graciously and left himself out of it. And most interestingly, Sharpy, who was abandoned by Troy, rejected by Ryan, then tricked by troy again to believe she would have a chance to sing, end up finding herself kicked out. After all these, she was still amazingly happy and felt thankful to her brother. Well,not even Pairs Hilton would be this dumb.

It can't be clearer that such a plot only wanted to show that this film was all about Troy and Gabriella, nobody else dares to sing in the closing show. OK, I get it.

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15 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
Well, uhmm..yeah, 22 August 2007

Author: sweeterlife14 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This may contain Spoilers OK. I was a hugge fan of HSM 1. But what happened to this movie? I hoped and prayed that they would not kill these movies, because they're a cute and happy movie. But the second one, well this was torture. I am normally a big musical girl and I loved HSM 1's music. But HSM 2 was somewhere of a mix between Barney and The Land Before Time. They sang everything, including Troy and Gabriella's breakup. Oh, don't worry they get back together...without talking about what went on or anything..just YAY we sang together, i love you again. Yeahh...no.

If you are a Zac Efron fan, watch Hairspray a few more times. That's what I did..you see how the acting differs.

Not a horrible sequel..but I think we all know they could've done better. Oh yes! I cannot wait for HSM 3!!!! (sarcasm all the way)

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26 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
"High School Musical 2" review..., 19 August 2007

Author: Tyy Tad from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

High School Musical 2 review This movie is a mash of random dance moves that look like something a back up dancer to Britney Spears would do and dialogue that only succeeds to prolong the plot that was probably written a week before production by somebody who didn't want to change a thing from the original film.

So how could I explain the plot without "spoiling" anything? The film starts out seconds before the familiar school atmosphere will come to an end for the summer. The main cast is together in what appears to be drama class (I guess it would be nitpicking for me to point out that the entire main cast is in the same classroom) counting down the seconds before summer break. This of course leads to "What Time Is It," the first musical number of many. Filled with break dancing and group wave dancing, the three minute dance redefines cheesy. Question: if Sharpay is supposed to hate Gabriella, why is she dancing right by her with a smile on her face? Oh, and this all happens within the first five minutes, ensuring a FUN following 93 minutes.

Suddenly the plot requires the cast to worry about summer jobs. Troy needs money to help pay for college (though wasn't his family rich in the first movie? I thought that's how they could afford to spend New Years Eve in a ski resort.), and Gabriella equally needs money badly (I guess her mom spent all her college tuition money on moving every summer…). So does Chad and Taylor and every other main and supporting cast member besides Sharpay and her brother Ryan. So where do they end up getting jobs? They all get jobs at the country club that Sharpay and Ryan hang out throughout the rest of the film. Yeah, you heard right. They ALL get jobs at the country club. Tsk… they must have been drastically understaffed before these people came along.

From here the inevitable love triangle between Troy, Gabriella and Sharpay occurs, reducing the job of a supporting character to just dancing in the elaborate dance numbers and saying a non funny one liner every twenty minutes. After taking forever to get to the climax, the film takes the clichéd easy way out that will require Gabriella to hate Troy forever… which in Disney land is about fifteen minutes and a commercial break.

There. That's the plot to High School Musical 2. You know, I can't for the life of me think for a second that Disney released this film thinking that it was a good movie. It's just not. Instead I'm led to believe that it was green lighted to break ratings records and sell millions of copies of the accompanying CD and DVD. I imagine a meeting at Disney studios where an unknown screenplay writer brings his version of High School Musical 2, complete with perfect character development and believable segues into music. The head of Disney (or the person in charge of this film) reads the first ten pages and throws it down in disgust. "This is too risky!" He grumbles. "If it's too risky the ratings may not be as high as the last one. No, this will never work." I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you that there are several unintentionally funny scenes in this film. One is the cameo appearance by Miley Cyrus. She won a contest on Disney.com that ensured her a cameo in HSM 2, and her appearance was all of four seconds. She is shown as a random girl dancing at the very end of the movie. Seriously, if you blink too long you'll miss her whole role. Also funny for the wrong reasons was the choreography in the song "I Don't Dance" (I know, I know; the irony of a song implying that someone don't dance while they are dancing.), which can be described as homoerotic. Finally the funniest scene that was supposed to be dramatic was one right after Troy found out that Sharpay was screwing with him.

Basically the only thing that is better in this film from the original is the music. This is in no way an endorsement for a Grammy nomination or anything. I'm just saying the overall music is better than that of the first one. Of course the first film was made as a crappy made for television movie. The music was made in all of two weeks and the success was completely accidental.

Rating: * out of ****

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37 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :-
The greatest movie of all time! For people in comas., 30 August 2007

Author: DawnofRebellion from United States

I saw the first High School Musical just after it came out hearing rave reviews and i thought it might be at least interesting. I was wrong, after about 40 mins of watching I would have rather ripped off my own ears and set them on fire than watch for another minute. I had absolutely no intention of watching this sequel but I was asked to by my sister on her birthday so I did. If I had poison handy I would have taken it without a second's hesitation. It was literally the worst "movie" I have ever seen. Don;t get me wrong I enjoy musicals very much, this had the worst songs and most obvious lip-syncing I have ever seen. The dance moves were similar to what you might expect from some backup dancer for Jessica Simpson. What I hate more than this movie (if that's even possible) is the fans. The true fans are the most moronic people I have ever met. Using no logic to backup their arguments of why this movie was so amazing other than 'OMG How can you say High School Musical sucked?? Zac Efron is lyke so kute! I just wanna hug him forever!' I could care less how cute an actor is that does not excuse the horrible monstrous atrocity that is High School Musical! Please for your sake DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE!

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12 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Oh dear, 27 October 2007

Author: MegWhiteIII from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Where do you start? How about the warped message this film is sending out to children who's families genuinely have money issues? I almost choked on my own disgust when Troy complained that he was fed up of seeing all the rich people at the Country Club while his parents were 'scraping for pennies'. With a house the size of his I doubt they're scraping for anything. Secondly, isn't it wonderfully convenient that they all managed to get pretty good jobs with no previous work experience and that they all managed to secure employment on their first attempt, at the same place, at the same time. Apart from being the luckiest group of 'teenagers' in the world, they are all the most ungrateful group of spoilt brats I've ever witnessed. The jobs they secured aren't given away to teenagers with no employment record and you don't become an assistant chef because you made a Crème Brule and some cookies then complain about it.

Apart from those two minor points that really, really grated on me, the rest of the film is truly dire. I would happily watch High School Muscial (which, I am shamed to admit, made me laugh a little) every day for a week rather than sit through this trash again. The pointless, meandering plot-line, the dreadful, dreadful songs and the nauseating tones of Vanessa Hudgens were all too much for me. I stayed true to my word and sat through the whole thing, but not before my soul was permanently tainted. You may think I'm exaggerating, and you might be right, but a movie hasn't dragged like this since the Forty Year Old Virgin. Mercifully, I didn't have to pay for this one, but I did have to waste electricity on it.

There are many, many bad points to be raised about this poor excuse for a film, and I think Nastarinvonjacobis has made them quite eloquently. Oh, and before I forget, who in the world has a portrait photograph of themselves in their basketball gear in their own room? A dreadful film, even by Disney Channel's standards, I don't recommend this film to anyone, unless you're playing a drinking game to take a shot every time something in this film annoys you (not recommended for those who don't want to get seriously drunk)

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8 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Another bad, cheap Disney movie, 16 December 2007

Author: Kathy from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I've never been a fan of Disney movies including HSM 1. So when I heard about HSM 2 I knew it was going to be pathetic. My little sister begged me to watch so unfortunately I gave in. IT WAS HORRIBLE! It's made HSM 1 look good. The acting is bad and the singing is OK. OK, Zac Efron is cute, not cute enough to make this movie at least half way decent. If you want a good quality movie then it's best to not watch a Disney movie. They're so cheap on Disney movies and celebrities with no talent. And now they're having a HSM 3 that's coming out in theaters, that should be good;) HSM 2 should get a lower rating than 5.2. The only people who should be a entertained by this movie should be little kids. The producers, directors, actors, etc, are just trying go as cheap as they can go and at the same time make money off their viewers. If you want to see a real musical then watch hairspray (2007).

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7 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
They should call it Stank High Musical Two, 23 August 2007

Author: Akeyla Henry from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I admit I wasn't blown away by High School Musical 2's stankocity, especially since they stole the plot from and summer special of Saved by the Bell, (and a word of advice to the writer and producers of HSM2: DON'T GET PLOT IDEAS FROM SUGAR-CRAZED CHILDREN!!!).

I was severely disappointed though with the musical score which was jaw-droppingly awful. It was too Britney Spears meats Justin Timberlake. And that's okay, but not in a musical that's suppost to be realistic.

And another thing! The only reason High School Musical was such a hit was because it wasn't like a real Broadway musical where they sing to each other and it's so corny. It was more of teenagers who like to perform teenagers. But HSM2 was like a basic whiny musical, except most whiny musicals have good acting and dialog.

Also they should not have given Zac Efron his own songs to sing this time. Because frankly, he is a choir boy singer. he has a nice voice when he is singing those remedial notes, but give him some actual soaring notes and he will croak like a frog because he does not posses the range. Of course it sounded like he did in the first movie, (only because they morphed his voice with Andrew Seeley, a very accomplished singer), but then the producer let Zac sing on his own and all the songs were low key because Zac can't hit any good notes.

The plot was jacked and stupid and pointless. THe ending was horrific at best. THere was only one good song in the movie and it was too depressing for me to even enjoy.

In the end i believe it would have been best to just have a High School Musical Christmas special than this complete-waste-of-a-time sequel. I give this movie one star since it is not possible to give it none.

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