Sky High - Review

This is one of my favourite family/kids films of all time. One thing that Disney does better than anybody else is making films that not only capture the imagination of children but also make those same films appealing for adults too. Whether that be just simply adding jokes and scenarios that kids might not understand or just create a story with compelling characters in a plot that is both interesting and entertaining. That is Sky High. Now, we have all seen superhero films and we have all seen high school films, but why not add them together. Mix in that awesome "datedness" of the 2000's and you have yourself a winner. Watching this film now, I can really appreciate just how much effort they put into this movie. First off, you have Kurt Russell playing the father, Bruce Campbell as a gym teacher and Lynda Carter as the Principal of the school. Is this the best cast ever assembled for a kids film? Maybe so. Secondly, all of the camera angles and lighting look like you are reading a comic book. This movie could have been so easy to shoot. Shot-Reverse-Shot, Over-The-Shoulder, all that generic crap. This movie says "Screw it, we are going to be unique." Thirdly, this film just has lots of clever moments and jokes. "If someone falls into a large pool of toxic waste, their powers normally show up the next day... or... they die." Little lines like that are what make this film so special years later. As for kids, this film has a great group of characters and even though this is a Disney film, the teenagers really do feel real. I know every single high school had that one gothic girl who was kind of like, "whatever" to everything, the white boy who thought he was way too cool, a girl obsessed with the environment and being politically correct, the bitchy cheerleader and so on. It also has a great lesson for kids about how being a hero may not always be connected to who has the most physical strength, but who is willing to go above and beyond to do the right thing. Add in some fun action, funny lines, great characters, even a love triangle that doesn't seem forced, this is a film that should be seen by the whole family and is a film I hold very close to my heart. It made me want to be a hero as a kid and it makes me want to be a hero now.

Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/r4J0126wV4A