Hannah Montana: The Movie
When it comes to Hannah Montana: The Movie, it’s easy to sit back and let the cynic take over. Forgetting who the movie was made for or for what purpose this Disney vehicle was designed would be a mistake and taking a minute of this stuff seriously would be equally erroneous. While it’s easy to discard the Hannah Montana madness as pre-teens gone wild over another commercially-designed concept, it’s just as easy to dismiss the movie on those grounds.
In other words, the entire Hannah Montana exercise is one about pleasing the fans. Any additional benefit, one that perhaps engages the parents of pre-teens or other potential demographics, is something else altogether. That’s what makes Hannah Montana: The Movie actually work, as Disney’s given us a film that is ultimately formulaic, predictable, safe, and, yes, entertaining.
Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) is at an interesting point in her career as her Hannah Montana persona is beginning to take over and interfere with her personal life. Of course, she’s letting it happen and it’s safe to say that the fame has gone to her head. Miley is neglecting her friends and family, eventually nearly missing Lilly’s (Emily Osment) birthday party. When she eventually does arrive as Hannah, it’s clear that something is going on.
In an attempt to ground Miley in her roots, her dad (Billy Ray Cyrus) takes her to her hometown of Crowley Corners in Tennessee. Miley, Jackson (Jason Earles), and her dad stay at grandma’s farm and Miley gets some thinking done. She also rekindles a spark with childhood friend Travis (Lucas Till) and winds up confronted with Hannah Montana and the consequences of keeping secrets (sort of).
It’s a cop-out to toss lemons at Hannah Montana: The Movie while at the same time forgetting our own versions of childhood. There’s tremendous, hilarious irony in reading movie “reviews” from individuals bashing the hell out of Hannah Montana: The Movie while at the same time applauding the loud, clunky brashness of Transformers and G.I. Joe. The fact is that this Disney Generation stuff has an appeal and its wholesomeness and lack of reliance on flashy, obnoxious effects is somewhat refreshing.
That’s not to say that director Peter Chelsom has cooked up some sort of kid movie masterpiece or that Hannah Montana: The Movie is even really that good, but it should suffice to eliminate the more spurious criticism.
Where Hannah Montana works is with its introduction of some classic slapstick sequences to an audience that may not have seen them before. Take, for instance, the classic “two-places-at-once-with-minor-wardrobe-change” effect that takes place between Miley/Hannah and Travis. If one ignores the fact that one wardrobe change should certainly not have left a lobster bib on Miley, it’s actually a pretty funny attempt at a classic sketch.
While Hannah Montana: The Movie deserves applause for bringing in some slapstick and good wholesome humour, it certainly deserves criticism for its ending. The entire premise of the movie is set up on the idea that Miley has to make a decision, that she can’t have the best of both worlds, and that secrets and honesty don’t make for good bedfellows. Yet Disney feeds the audience a “have-it-all” conclusion based on a turn even more ridiculous than the idea that Miley would never be recognized as Hannah by even the most judicious observers.
Disney doesn’t really want us to think about all that, after all, because this and their entire enterprise consist of happy endings. Much in the same way Disney tore out the guts of most fairy tales to create family-friendly princess archetypes, Hannah Montana: The Movie operates in the same way. It’s generally harmless fun with a few generous laughs and the usual Hannah/Miley music that drives all the kids crazy. Plus, “The Climb” is actually a damn good tune.
Trailer:
