This inventive superhero movie hybrid (The Incredibles meet the X-men via Harry Potter) is one of the most entertaining family films of the summer.
Sky High (2005)
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Reviews Counted:120
Fresh:87
Rotten:33
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: This highly derivative superhero coming-of-age flick is moderately entertaining, family-friendly fluff.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for action violence and some mild language
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:21-10-2005
Synopsis: Most teenagers cringe at the thought of meeting their parents' high expectations--good grades, well-behaved friends, and a plan for the future--and none more so than Will Stronghold (Michael... Most teenagers cringe at the thought of meeting their parents' high expectations--good grades, well-behaved friends, and a plan for the future--and none more so than Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), the son of legendary superheroes Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston). This clever Disney comedy follows Will from his first day as star student at Sky High, an elite school for the children of superheroes. The only problem is that Will apparently has no special powers, and he can't let his parents find out! Lacking the abilities needed to attend hero classes, Will falls in with the misfit sidekicks, whose only powers include turning into a guinea pig, glowing, and melting. However, when an old villain with a new power reappears on the scene, the pressure is on Will and his sidekicks to save his parents, his school, and the earth itself. Perhaps as a tribute to the classic era of teen films, SKY HIGH features a soundtrack bursting with 1980s hits covered by contemporary artists, including Flashlight Brown, Bowling for Soup, and Vitamin C. The film also features performances that will please adult viewers, including a cameo as the school principal by former Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, comedian Dave Foley as a washed up sidekick, and EVIL DEAD star Bruce Campbell as Coach Boomer. Truly fun for all ages, the charming teen stars, fast pace, and universal story make SKY HIGH a clear family classic on par with SIXTEEN CANDLES, SPY KIDS, and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION. [More]
Starring: Kurt Russell, Michael Angarano, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley
Starring: Kurt Russell, Michael Angarano, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley, Kelly Preston, Liz Winstead, Lynda Carter, Kevin McDonald
Director: Mike Mitchell
Director: Mike Mitchell
Screenwriter: Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley
Producer: Andrew Gunn
Composer: Michael Giacchino
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
Reviews for Sky High
While originality is hardly the film's strongest suit, its agreeable mix of knowing spoof and kid-pleasing fantasy makes it considerably more engaging than some of the 'straight' superhero blockbusters we've suffered recently.
The script crackles with funny, quotable dialogue and the plot has a lot of fun with the usual teen movie staples.
Hogwarts for superheroes - the best family film of the year. Miss it at your peril; you never know how many super-villains are living on your street.
An engaging and surprisingly sharp allegory about high-school hierarchies and adolescent growing pains.
Worried it might be redundant given Incredibles? Worry Not. Sky High stands mightily on its own, albeit employing a standard formula. I had a great time.
Mike Mitchell directs scenes in big, bright comic-strip panels: colorful and exaggerated, with everything spelled out in veritable word balloons.
Sky High is funny, smart, energetic, subversive, and has a few substantive things to say.
Although it aims for Spy Kids and The Incredibles territory, this family entertainment is strictly for those too young to attend the titular institution.
Here, teen empowerment takes on a very literal form, even if events never stray far from the world as envisaged in a John Hughes movie.
A cliché-dependent Disney cheapy that aims no higher than the unsophisticated standards of its pre-adolescent target audience -- and somehow succeeds in spite of itself.
The flick is best in its bittier moments (watch for the stellar cameos), and there's nothing to trouble the tots.
A derivative and unappealing comedy about superheroes and their sidekicks in training.
Dissatisfying to an adult audience accustomed to more sophisticated parody....will resonate with young viewers on their way to high school.
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