'High School Musical 2' revisited: Summer classic where everyone's the jerk until they're not

To start off our themed week of summer classics, let's talk about a movie I've avoided like the plague for roughly a decade.

"High School Musical 2" is an undisputed classic of Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs), and I've never expressly hated it, but my Zac Efron-loving sister insisted on rewatching it so many times that I came to view it as an overrated chore of a movie and did my best to avoid watching it.

But with all these years of distance, the release of new content and tributes from "HSMTMTS," and my own proximity to the filming location and people with behind-the-scenes stories, I've given into the nostalgia and decided to rewatch "High School Musical 2."

As I watched, all the previous annoyance that stemmed from watching the movie a million times was completely gone and I was able to enjoy "High School Musical 2" for what it is: a classic DCOM with solid music and performance quality that goes all in on the musical campiness, complete with the first use of Zac Efron's real singing voice and a finale number that includes Miley Cyrus in the background.

Despite all the years I avoided the movie itself, I couldn't really stay away from listening to songs like "Fabulous," "I Don't Dance," and "Bet on It." Those ear worms are too good to stay away from, and it was good to watch them in context of the movie again.

Even when the realism varies and the sky clearly jumps back and forth between different times of day or cloud conditions, the overall quality is still solid even in 2023. Plus, it's even a little fun picking out those small details.

It's especially amusing to notice the implication that East High and Lava Springs are only a short drive from each other even though the filming locations are actually separated by a five-hour drive. Or that the Evans family imports turkey from Maine when there are turkeys that wander the local area.

Sharpay looks at turkey imported from Maine during her song "Fabulous" (Disney/YouTube). A turkey wanders on a roof in Hurricane, Utah, in May 2020, less than 20 miles away from the movie's filming location.

It's also fun to pick apart the ongoing debates about the movie's plot. People often like to joke about whether Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) is really the villain since she's providing Troy (Zac Efron) with a job and other opportunities for his future. And the answer is yes, she's still the movie's main villain.

All the opportunities Sharpay gives Troy don't make up for the fact that she's doing it quid pro quo—she expects things in return, like forcing him to spend time with her off the clock, expecting him to sing on a whim, and touching him and ignoring his boundaries in a way that makes him visibly uncomfortable.

Between Sharpay's violations of Troy's boundaries and the way she treats the other Lava Springs employees, she and her parents would probably be held liable in a slew of workplace harassment lawsuits in real life. That said, even though Sharpay's the main problem, she isn't the only one.

Everyone achieves various degrees of ignorant or jerk behavior at some point during the movie.

For example, Troy knowingly breaking the rules about using the golf course and pool for his dates with Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) when he knows there's a three-strike system in place that seems to apply to everyone but him is certainly a choice.

It also seems like Coach Bolton (Bart Johnson) hasn't learned much from the previous movie when it comes to the way he judges decisions about Troy's social life and future. When Troy mentions he's concerned about how his job opportunities are impacting his friendships, his dad doesn't ask for any clarification, he just advises Troy to keep his eyes on the prize.

Likewise, Taylor (Monique Coleman) starts warning Gabriella about the signs of a bad boyfriend after Troy is late to only one date, and pretty much all of the Wildcats start feeling animosity toward Troy before Troy even starts acting like a jerk.

Granted, Troy does start acting like a jerk when he needlessly blows them off several scenes later, but the tension seems to start before that, when the Wildcats are frustrated because they have to work while they're at work.

Everyone—including Sharpay—finds some way to make up for their respective flawed behavior by the end of the movie, whether through apologies or actions, and they all sing together for the talent show, but no one's really a saint.

But none of that really matters since it's classic Disney camp that should deal a dose of nostalgia or give a family-friendly chuckle. I definitely recommend a rewatch if you haven't seen "High School Musical 2" in a while.