'Sky' rates 'High'ly

"Sky High" is surprisingly good. It is the tale of Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), the son of not just any two, but the two most super superheroes in the world. Will is a freshman at the school for future heroes and sidekicks. In addition to the typical social problems that come with the transition into high school, Will must deal with the "sky high" expectations of everyone around him and the apparent probability that he might not be able to meet them. Will's mother can fly, his father is so strong he is almost indestructible, and these two things combined should make Will the most super kid at school. But Will has a problem: he may have failed to inherit any powers from his parents.\nBecause it is a "kid's movie" not based on a well-loved book or animated by Pixar, I went into "Sky High" prepared for it to hurt. But I did not write it off, because in addition to it starring Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston (as Will's parents) and Bruce Campbell and it is set in a school equivalent to Xavier's mutant academy. I grew up in the time of "Clueless" and "Scream," I (and I know there are others like me) am starved for a decent high school movie. "Sky High" is full of colorful characters and a story that, while ultimately predictable and sugary sweet, branches in several directions, making it feel entertaining and full. Its great fun to see the kids using their powers, which are well done, as the film is not stingy with the special effects and also doesn't take itself too seriously. Actually, "Sky High" is quite funny at times. The only big disappointments are that it feels too immature to satisfy teenagers and the main villain is the weakest area of the plot. \nWill Stronghold is played by an actual geeky kid, (rather than a thinly disguised, hot 25-year-old as is so often the case in stories about high schoolers), which lends authenticity to the character and makes him more relatable to younger audiences. Like most of the young actors in the film, Michael Angarano is believable, that is to say, they seem like real kids which is most important. Commander Stronghold's school nemesis, played by newcomer Stephen Strait, stands out as being reminiscent of Heath Ledger in "10 Things I Hate About You." Adult cast members Russell and Kelly are fully adequate if not particularly interesting in their roles. Fans of Campbell may be disappointed considering his role is less than pivotal. \n"Sky High" is the rare kind of film that a family can truly enjoy together. I hesitate to recommend it to any random college student, as it truly has the most to offer a younger audience, but honestly I had a good time with it.