In recent years, post the release of the famed “High School Musical” (HSM), Disney Channel Original Movies have become notorious for their clichéd storylines, bad music and terrible acting.
While their overall style remains the same, often appealing only to young children and bored teens, the movies have shown obvious improvements in some aspects such as music and more applicable themes such as women’s rights.
“Teen Beach 2,” which came out in June, and “Descendants,” released in July, both appear to be aimed at mirroring the success of “High School Musical.” “Teen Beach 2” turned out to be better than its predecessor (which was released July 2013), while “Descendants” proved itself worthy of rivaling HSM itself.
“Teen Beach 2” stars Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Grace Phipps and Garrett Clayton, along with most of the original cast. It picks up where the last movie had left off.
In the sequel, the movie follows the two couples’ journeys through their relationships and their new discoveries about themselves and their futures.
The movie’s soundtrack is not bad, albeit it is cheesy at times. “On my Own” has a strong message about finding one’s destiny, and Lynch’s vocals are the perfect fit. With Lynch — lead singer of the sibling band R5 — as the lead male, the vocals and dancing prove incredibly strong. On the other hand, “Gotta be Me” offers excellent choreography but its lyrics are more superficial than meaningful. The second movie beats the first in both choreography and music, as many of the musical scenes are far more upbeat, compelling and entertaining.
Unfortunately, not much can be said about the plot of the story — it is a mess. It is random and unsatisfying with many scenes in which unnamed background characters spontaneously dance to songs poorly incorporated into the script. The storyline is executed in an unoriginal and awkward manner, greatly disturbing the flow and enjoyability of the film.
That said, Disney’s attempt to promote female independence is commendable. At the end of the movie, Lela, the second female lead, realizes that she too has strength and capability and does not have to depend on the male characters who are always seen as superior to her.
Disney’s clear foray into the area of feminism coupled with the improvement of the soundtrack makes this movie better than the original, despite the lackluster plot.
Based on the concept of discrimination against the children of villains and chronicled the children’s journey into Auradon, the land of the “good” Disney characters, Disney’s “Descendants” shows that Disney still has the innovation it used to make titles like “Cheetah Girls” and “Parent Trap.”
The movie stars Dove Cameron as Mal, daughter of Maleficent; Sofia Carson as Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen; Booboo Stewart as Jay, son of Jafar; Cameron Boyce as Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil; and Mitchell Hope as Ben, son of Belle and the Beast. While some songs, such as “If Only,” thrilled, others fizzled. “Set it Off,” for instance, fell flat due to its poorly incorporated, unnecessary rapping and mediocre tune.
The simple and repetitive choreography of “Descendants” is disappointing as well, standing in stark contrast to new and improved styles of “Teen Beach 2”.
The story of “Descendants,” although statically portrayed during some scenes, is a push in the right direction. It addresses pressing issues such as the ostracization of children for their parents’ actions as all four of the main characters are judged for what their parents did in the past even before they arrive.
The movie offers a creative and unique way to educate children about the dangers of acting upon such biases. Unfortunately, it wastes its potential with a rushed storyline and unrealistic character development: Carlos, for instance, suddenly transitions from fearing dogs to becoming best friends with a small terrier mix.
With “Descendants,” Disney clearly tries to correct the mistaken belief that all children assume the exact values of their parents — values both beneficial and harmful. The movie emphasizes that being good or bad is an individual’s choice, as opposed to a product of his or her background — a message that undoubtedly could have been better delivered.
While Disney has not improved so much as to make another revolutionary film like HSM, it is now clearly treading on the right path. We hope the next Disney Channel Original Movie will hit all the right notes and none of the sour ones.
