High School Musical 2

What’s the Story?

When Troy is offered a summer job at a posh country club, he gets his girlfriend Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), longtime buddy Chad (Corbin Bleu), and a bunch of other Wildcats hired there as well. Little does Troy know that the scheming socialite behind the job offer was snooty Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), whose daddy owns the club and who has her summer sights set on snatching Troy out of Gabriella's arms. She tempts Troy with a flashy job, famous friends, and the promise of a college basketball scholarship if he devotes his time to her. Eventually he has to choose between this fast track to success and the person he knows himself to be.

Is It Any Good?

For fans of the first High School Musical, the sequel picks up right where the original left off, not missing a beat with 10 catchy new songs and improved choreography. A little extra maturity in the cast only increases the characters' likeability, and the slightly more emotional storyline (Efron even seems on the brink of tears during one sad scene) will win points with older viewers who may tire of teen issues being too easily resolved on TV.

There's no doubt that tweens will flock to HSM2 like they did to the first, and, once again, parents can rest assured that there's nothing to worry about here -- unless you take exception to the movie's sparkling, sanitized view of teen life. There's no bad language, no violence, no drinking, and only one kiss (which, as in the original, is reserved for the end of the movie). Tweens who watch will be treated to positive messages about relatable issues like overcoming cliques, valuing friendship, being true to yourself, and standing up for what you believe in.