Sky High (2005)
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A teenager at a high school for superheroes must navigate his burgeoning powers and a looming threat from a mysterious villain.
The story
Will Stronghold is the son of two famous superheroes who is enrolled in Sky High, an airborne high school for teenage superheroes. Because his superpowers have not yet manifested, he is initially placed in the 'Hero Support' curriculum. However, as his dormant abilities begin to surface, Will must navigate the complexities of his new environment, manage his relationships with his friends, and deal with the emergence of a mysterious supervillain. He finds himself caught between his desire to be a hero like his parents and the challenges of being a teenager in a world of extraordinary abilities.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Will Stronghold, the son of the superhero duo The Commander and Jetstream, attends Sky High, a school for teens with superpowers. Initially placed in the 'Hero Support' track due to his lack of powers, Will's abilities suddenly manifest during a fight with the pyrokinetic student Warren Peace. He is moved to the 'Hero' track and begins a romance with Gwen Grayson, a popular senior. However, tensions rise when Will's friend Layla feels sidelined. Before a school dance, Gwen tricks Will into a situation where his father's 'Pacifier' weapon is stolen. Will discovers that Gwen is actually the villain Royal Pain, who was de-aged years ago. She uses the Pac1fier to turn the school's students and staff into babies. Will teams up with Layla, Warren, and the other 'support' students to defeat Gwen's allies. During the final battle, Will develops the power of flight to defeat her. The school is saved, the students are restored to their ages, and Will reconciles with Layla, while the bus driver Ron Wilson becomes a hero.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mike Mitchell
- Writers
- Paul Hernandez · writer; Bob Schooley · writer; Mark McCorkle · writer
- Cast and characters
- Kelly Preston · Josie DeMarco-Stronghold / Jetstream; Michael Angarano · Will Stronghold; Danielle Panabaker · Layla Williams; Mary Elizabeth Winstead · Gwendolyn "Gwen" Grayson / Royal Pain / Susan "Sue" Tenny; Kurt Russell · Steve Stronghold / The Commander; Kevin Heffernan · Ron Wilson; Steven Strait · Warren Peace; Lynda Carter · Principal Powers
- Genres
- superhero comedy; action comedy; children's; romantic comedy; teen comedy
- Themes
- coming-of-age; identity; heroism
- Tone and mood
- tongue-in-cheek; lighthearted; spoofy
- Premise and plot tags
- superhero school; high school; superpowers
- Source material / true-story basis
- Original screenplay by Paul Hernandez (1990s).
- Content notes
- family-friendly
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences during its original theatrical run and has since been recognized as a cult film.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: weighted average · review count: 29
- Production trivia
- The script was updated by the creators of Kim Possible.; The school's exterior was filmed at a university library.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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