Following little more than a month on the heels of the Jonas Brothers movie, Hannah Montana: The Movie easily overshadows its predecessor while still doing little more than highlighting one of Disney’s rising stars. Hannah Montana: The Movie benefits from a decent plot which continues the television show’s story while still providing a simple plot that functions autonomously from the pre-existing Hannah Montana timeline – which was important for this reviewer. It takes its place in the long line of fish out of water films and, for what it is, delivers a watchable film for the kiddies and the parents who bought it for them.
Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) lives a double life; in everyday life she’s a normal teenage girl going to high school and working through all the drama that brings, but with her publicist by her side she hops a limo to crowded concert halls where she performs as the pop sensation Hannah Montana. It’s an act she’s been keeping up for a few years now, and while it may not be the first time, Miley has lost sight of what’s important. After a public feud with Tyra Banks and a late arrival at her best friend’s birthday party (where she steals the show as her popular alter ego), Miley is kidnapped by her father Robby (Billy Ray Cyrus) and brother Jackson (Jason Earles) back to Crowley Corners, Tennessee to help her get back in touch with her roots. Her family members, like grandma Ruby (Margo Martindale), give her a heaping dose of country living as skuzzy tabloid reporter Oswald Granger (Peter Gunn) sneaks about in the background trying to discover the secret of Miley’s double life. But what would this movie be without a love interest for Miley? So tossed in to the mix is a rustic ranch hand Travis (Lucas Till), who teaches Miley how to love the countryside once again. The whole situation comes to a “climax” when Miley agrees to “ask” Hannah Montana to come to their sleepy little town to put on a benefit concert to save the local downtown from becoming a modern strip mall, a change advocated by Mr. Bradley (Barry Bostwick) – a storyline which just peters out with no real resolution after the big musical ending.
It’s easily a few steps above the Jonas Brothers Concert Experience, but what is that really saying? The music of Hannah Montana is nothing special and she would have been overshadowed by Taylor Swift’s guest appearance, like the Jonas Brothers were in their own movie, had it not been for an above par square dance number somewhere in the film’s midsection. While obviously not the focus of the film, the veteran actors give the film a badly needed respectability that the younger cast really can’t bring themselves. Miley Cyrus may be a Disney-drone sweetheart, but beyond an inherited singing voice she doesn’t really have much going for her in the acting department.
Yes, there are plot holes abound and young actors struggling to leave a good impression in the shadow of better character actors, but the kids will enjoy it and the parents won’t be numbed to the core.
The Blu-ray factor does little to kick up the film’s quality as few moments really take advantage of the high resolution capabilities of the format. A concert in the film’s opening moments and a few sweeping country scenes look great, but otherwise you’d enjoy it just as well in standard definition – which is coincidentally included twice in the form of a supplementary DVD and digital copy. The audio does sound fantastic though, and the musical numbers do have a nice oomph. Yes, an oomph. A crisp, well balanced oomph.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
Once you’re done learning the dance number from the film’s hoedown scene, as taught in one of the better featurettes (because it’ll keep your kids busy), you can watch the cast learn the number in the featurette following it. Then you have the typical extras like deleted scenes, a gag reel, an audio commentary from Director Peter Chelsom and a behind the scenes piece led by co-star Jason Earles. Finally, and this is easily the more interesting for the adults, “Find Your Way Back Home” takes the stars back to their hometowns where they give the at-home audience a tour of where they grew up. Riveting? No. But it’s something.
"Hannah Montana: The Movie" is on sale August 18, 2009 and is rated G. Children & Family, Comedy, Musical. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Written by Daniel Berendson, Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien. Starring Margo Martindale, Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Lucas Till, Peter Gunn, Barry Bostwick.
