Opening Day: 4 June 2009

Synopsis:

Director Peter Chelsom takes the Disney Channel phenom to the big screen in a feature film extravaganza. Miley Stewart (MILEY CYRUS) struggles to juggle school, friends and her secret pop-star persona; when Hannah Montana’s soaring popularity threatens to take over her life – she just might let it. So her father (BILLY RAY CYRUS) takes the teen home to Crowley Corners, Tenn., for a dose of reality, kicking off an adventure filled with the kind of fun, laughter and romance even Hannah Montana couldn’t imagine.

Movie Review:

Hi Hannah,

I think I know your secret. I think you lead a double life. I’ve been your greatest fan since the day your show debuted on Disney Channel on 24 March 2006. You always belt out the theme song “The Best of Both Worlds” during the opening sequence of your show, and you think that the title of the song isn’t enough to give away the fact that you are an average teenage school girl (I suspect you go by the name of Miley Stewart) by day, and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night?

I think my observations are valid. And now that you are moving from the small TV screen to the big celluloid screen with this movie, I can bet that more people are going to know your secret. In the movie, after having the best of both worlds for the longest time, your Dad decides to take you to somewhere you’ve never thought you’d go to – your Grandma’s place in Tennessee. There, you’d have to learn how to give up the Hannah Montana persona for awhile and learn what family is all about, who you really are and what really matters to you. There, you’d also meet a new love interest in the form of a handsome young dude. And most importantly, it’s also in Tennessee that you’d have to make a decision of whether you will reveal the truth about your double lives.

Personally, I think this is too much for a young 16 year old girl like you to take. But your fans (millions of them all over the world, I’d presume) are waiting to see what will happen in this 103 minute movie – so bring it on, girl!

And yes, you do not disappoint in this feature length movie. Sure, it seems like an extended version of the half hour TV episodes which fans are so familiar with, but the energy and humour in the movie is so well executed, the cynical adults have only themselves to blame if they are not willing to put down their guard and have fun with you.

What’s more, there are 12 brand new songs in this movie which is good news – because I think you sing quite well. I especially enjoyed the “Hoedown Throwdown” sequence where you danced merrily with your townfolk – wish I was there! There are bouncy tunes like “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” and “Let’s Get Crazy” to show the glamourous side of you, and there are sentimental melodies like “Dream” and “The Climb” to show the schmaltzy side of you. When I saw the (probably computer generated) butterflies flying past when you and your Dad sang the duet “Butterfly Fly Away”, I couldn’t help it but feel a bit manipulated by the filmmakers’ intention to mush up the audiences emotions.

I wanted to see more of your brother Jackson’s amusing antics though. Also, I had wished that your friends from Lilly and Oliver had more screen time too. You had such great chemistry with them on the TV series, but they are kind of reduced to mere supporting characters here. Nonetheless, the amusing appearances of Tyra Banks (how dare she fight over that pair of heels with you?) and Vanessa Williams (perfect portrayal of your publicist, especially after her catty turn in TV’s Ugly Betty) made the movie a very enjoyable experience.

I don’t think you’d be up for an Oscar anytime soon, but the MTV Movie Awards has given you two nominations (Best Song from a Movie and Breakthrough Female Performance), and I sincerely hope that you’d beat some Twilight ass. Meanwhile, I’ll try my best to keep your secret.

Yours truly,
John Li, a supporter of all things Hannah Montana

Movie Rating:



(Best consumed if you are a Hannah Montana fan. Works well if you are in the mood for some wholesome fun)

Review by John Li