SKY HIGH (2005)

SKY HIGH (2005)

Tagline: Saving The World... One Homework Assignment At A Time.

(Action, Adventure, Comedy) [PG]

The kids who get bit by radioactive insects or fall into a vat of toxic waste, their powers usually show up the next day. Or - they die.

This movie is kind of done in the same vein as the SPY KIDS flicks. It’s more “tame and lighthearted” super-hero fare directed more at kids than adults, but it doesn’t ignore them either. In fact, being an adult and understanding some of the dialog and nods to yesteryear make this movie even more enjoyable. For instance, the movie features a cameo from Lynda Carter as the Principal of SKY HIGH who then tells students she’s not “Wonder Woman”. If you know she played Wonder Woman on the TV show, that bit is more hilarious. 

In this one, the Strongholds are known for being a superhero tandem. The Commander (played by Kurt Russell famous for BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA) and Jetstream (played by Kelly Preston known for SPACE CAMP and a ton of other flicks) are pretty much the top of the superhero game. In this world that is just totally fine. Superheroes exist and everyone is just pretty much cool with it. Will (played by Michael Angarano from THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM) is about ready to start at superhero school (Sky High) and hasn’t discovered his powers yet. His parents are not aware of this. The story revolves around Will’s adjustment to his new school, his best friend Layla (played by Danielle Panabaker best known as Killer Frost on the TV show FLASH), and a girl that has taken an interest in Will named Gwen (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead best known for SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD). Will and Layla also befriend a group of hero sidekicks that keep things pretty interesting. Can Will discover his power in time to save the school from a sinister plot, decades in the making?

This thing is definitely not MARVEL and the effects are super cheesy in some scenes, but it is a total blast. The movie also has a character named Warren Peace played by Steven Straight. Straight is probably best known for playing the lead role in the oft-maligned 10,000 BC movie. He kind of reminds me of Pyro from the X-MEN series if he had been played by a much better actor. For me, Kelly Vitz stood out as Magenta, as a sidekick that could turn into a hamster, and Kevin Hefferman as Ron Wilson Bus Driver. These two characters along with Layla kinda brought this superhero world back down to earth and I really thought they balanced this thing out well. 

Let me just say right off the bat, I freakin love this movie. It’s fun, it’s loaded with fantastic ideas (like the save the citizen superhero training sequence where Will and Warren Peace have to rescue a mannequin while being opposed by a couple of the school’s bullies) and it’s actually stood the test of time regarding re-watch value. I bought this movie the first time I saw it on DVD. Oh, man this thing is just so damn good. If this movie slipped under your radar, definitely check it out if you like superhero movies at all. This thing was made in a time when not every superhero movie had to have super serious end-of-the-world stakes. If you are looking for incredible dialog throughout this might not interest you, but the concepts alone make this a real joy. 

I give this movie a 6 out of 7 without hesitation. The main villain's plot is a little much. 

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