Super hero movies are popular once again, there's no denying it. The X-Men, Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four and Batman have all been big box office business, but it's not always about taking a well-known property and making a film based around it. There are writers out there working on different super-hero ideas, parodies to some degree, such as the case with Sky High. If you thought you'd seen just about everything that heroes had to offer, you'd better think again.

Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is about to start his first day at Sky High, a prestigious high school that has been established for teenagers with super powers. Will's parents are both heroes with a impressive resume, and they've saved the world a time or two as well. His father, known as The Commander (Kurt Russell), has super strength while mom, Jetstream (Kelly Preston), can fly, and you'd assume that the heroic genes would have been passed down.

Well . . . . not quite. Will actually has exhibited any super powers, and on the first day of school, he's assigned to the rank of sidekick, otherwise known as hero support. Soon however, his powers do kick into high gear and he moves from being hero support to a real super hero. However, little does Will realize there is a plot brewing at his very own school that will endanger the lives of his friends, family, and even himself.

Sky High is something of a super hero parody mixed with your standard teenage high school comedy, and really pokes fun at many different aspects of both genres. With the kids being broken up into two groups, you have the typical cliques that you would find at any high school. The heroes don't like the hero support kids at all, resulting in a great deal of teasing and harassment.. So, how does one falls from grace and become nothing more than support? You need rather lame powers. Ethan (Dee-Jay Daniels) can turn into a puddle of liquid; Magenta (Kelly Vitz) is a shapeshifter . . . but with only one form, that of a guinea pig. There's also the spectacular powers of Zach (Nicholas Braun) who glows. That's it, nothing more.

Every hero, even one without powers, needs a nemesis, and Will soon finds himself up against Warren Peace (Steven Strait), a "hero" who can throw fireballs. He's got a huge problem with Will because in the past, The Commander put Warren's father behind bars where he is now serving three life sentences. This brings in the standard high school bully element, though as the film moves along, we find that he's not such a bad guy after all. Will also has a love interest that he's unaware of, his neighbor Layla (Danielle Panabaker), another hero with the ability to control plants, though she's happier just being a sidekick and isn't into the whole "label" thing. Instead, Will has taken notice of Gwen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), another of Sky High's elite who has powers that allow her to control and rebuild technology. But something about Gwen is a little . .. different, but Will is completely unaware.

Sky High has the feel that it was made for a younger audience, but I have to say that even so, I found myself very entertained by the film. I was once an avid comic book reader, so the pokes and jabs that the script takes at super heroes is great. Will parents for example have a cover; they work as real estate agents when they aren't busy saving the world. They have their own secret sanctum under the house, and all dad really wants is for his son to save the world, just once. The idea of heroes in training having their own high school is somewhat similar to that of The X-Men's School for Gifted Youngsters, the base of operations for the team and the same location that new recruits are trained at. The real difference is that Sky High makes good use of comedy and doesn't attempt to be deadly serious.

Aside from having someone like Kurt Russell on board and a cast of very talent young actors, Sky High features some very impressive talent, some of which is a little bit of a shock. Fans of B-films will probably want to check out Sky High because Bruce Campbell is featured in the movie as Coach Boomer, and his sense of humor transfers very well into the movie. Bruce may be known for films like Evil Dead, but when it comes right down to it, he really is a very good actor and is capable of so many things. Dave Foley, some may remember him for News Radio, also appears in the film and the Kids in the Hall alumni has a minor, but hilarious role as the hero support teacher Mr. Boy (taken from his former name of All-American Boy.)

The only real issue that I have with Sky High is that the plot is a little predictable and very easy to figure out, but this is one case where the doesn't ruin the film. Sky High is really just a fun movie, plain and simple, and that works in its favor. The characters are interesting and entertaining and the effects are very well done. You'll find green screen, computer animation, and classic stunt man action, but none of it is overdone. Sky High ultimately is just a very well balanced film.

Some may fault the film at being just a cleverly disguised coming of age tale with special powers thrown in as the selling point, but I really don't see that. Sky High isn't quite a teenage high school film, and it isn't really a super hero film, but it's something that falls right in the middle. Take away either of those elements or rely on them too heavily and instead you would have just another Hollywood film that tries to capitalize on current trends.

The DVD has some entertaining special features. There is an alternate opening for the movie, but after watching it, I can understand why it was dropped. It would give away too much of what is to come in the film and what direction it's heading. There is a small collection of bloopers that are a little humorous as well as a music video. One of the best features however is Backstage Disney. This feature gives you a true behind the scenes look, not some little tease and interview snippets. The features goes as far to even show to commissary that the cast and crew dined at, something that isn't normally seen in features like this.

Sky High is a film that really appeals to the little kid in everyone. I know that younger movie fans are going to love it, even though it may not have any of the heroes that they know and love, but even adults should get a kick out of this. It's sky high adventure and comedy that doesn't come along too often anymore.

-mike-