Disney is pretty good at coming up with unique ideas for their TV movies. Some of them turn out great, like "Camp Rock", while others are just too cheesy and not worth watching. I had high expectations for this one, because the idea of two characters getting stuck in an old movie (a '60s one, at that) and having the movie characters fall for them sounded like it would definitely hold one's interest and it would be hard to go wrong.
I was really impressed with the songs and the choreography. Both were fantastic, and the style definitely screamed '60s, in a good way. The costumes were great, which made the dance numbers especially fun to watch. But the story itself was weak in places.
First of all, it's really confusing how Mack and Brady, the two main characters, even find themselves stuck in the 1962 movie Wet Side Story. Did it have something to do with the magical glowing surfboard? The surfboard was never even fully explained, unless I missed something. And after Tanner and Lela fall for the wrong people, Mack and Brady, they apparently magically realize that they are meant for each other while singing "Meant to Be", but I was expecting Mack and Brady to have to come up with something more creative to get the right people with the right people. They had said they needed to get them to spend more time together, so I guess that's what they were trying to do by telling them to meet them at the beach and then ditching them, but that whole sequence just seems muddled and rushed. I was hoping for Brady and Mack to have to find a more creative way to solve the problem, or maybe tell Tanner and Lela they were actually from the future. That would have made things more interesting as opposed to, "Uh...I'm not who you think I am...". Also, there were times in between songs where it felt like the movie just dragged. It could have used a little dose of humor.
Lastly, no offense to Maia Mitchell, but I felt that her character (Mack) was just overly moody throughout the whole movie. She just never seemed happy, and it kind of brought the fun, happy mood down at the wrong times.
Oh, and, no kiss?! The movie would have felt a lot more complete if Brady and Mack kissed, just saying.
Despite the flaws, it's a fun movie, and believe me, the songs will be stuck in your head for days.
I was really impressed with the songs and the choreography. Both were fantastic, and the style definitely screamed '60s, in a good way. The costumes were great, which made the dance numbers especially fun to watch. But the story itself was weak in places.
First of all, it's really confusing how Mack and Brady, the two main characters, even find themselves stuck in the 1962 movie Wet Side Story. Did it have something to do with the magical glowing surfboard? The surfboard was never even fully explained, unless I missed something. And after Tanner and Lela fall for the wrong people, Mack and Brady, they apparently magically realize that they are meant for each other while singing "Meant to Be", but I was expecting Mack and Brady to have to come up with something more creative to get the right people with the right people. They had said they needed to get them to spend more time together, so I guess that's what they were trying to do by telling them to meet them at the beach and then ditching them, but that whole sequence just seems muddled and rushed. I was hoping for Brady and Mack to have to find a more creative way to solve the problem, or maybe tell Tanner and Lela they were actually from the future. That would have made things more interesting as opposed to, "Uh...I'm not who you think I am...". Also, there were times in between songs where it felt like the movie just dragged. It could have used a little dose of humor.
Lastly, no offense to Maia Mitchell, but I felt that her character (Mack) was just overly moody throughout the whole movie. She just never seemed happy, and it kind of brought the fun, happy mood down at the wrong times.
Oh, and, no kiss?! The movie would have felt a lot more complete if Brady and Mack kissed, just saying.
Despite the flaws, it's a fun movie, and believe me, the songs will be stuck in your head for days.