Sky Highdir Mike Mitchell2/5Billed as the American answer to the Harry Potter series, Disney’s Sky
High has raised expectations in line with its title. It is hardly a
signal for JK Rowling’s loyal following to lay down their Quidditch
brooms, but director Mike Mitchell’s film pleasingly and predictably
adheres to Disney’s magic family formula. This consists of an ample
base of flashy special effects, a moral message of tolerance and
equality so blatant it feels like a truncheon-blow from the PC Police,
and a sharp dash of ironic humour to keep surly teens and weary parents alike from snoring into their popcorn.
That said, the screenwriters achieve nothing of the sophisticated
and cheeky humour which appreciative adult viewers have almost come to
expect since the celebrated animation
Shrek. With Sky High, Disney has sought to reinforce its status as the
providers and originators of reliable, old-fashioned family movies,
perhaps a wiser move than
attempting to answer the challenge of their inventive and irreverent
rivals at Dreamworks.
The film charts the arrival of Will Stronghold, son of the world’s
greatest superheroes, the Commander and Jetstream, at the super-kids’
high
school, located (as those who’ve figured out the devilishly clever
title pun will guess) in the sky. Initially, due to his apparent lack
of superpowers, dejected Will is lumped in with the class of sidekicks,
who, to avoid
causing offence, have been collectively re-dubbed ‘Hero Support’.ARCHIVE: 2nd week MT 2005
Sky High
