Sky High wants to be a movie about growing up, but it keeps getting distracted by its own jokes. The 2005 Disney comedy stars Michael Angarano as Will Stronghold, the son of two superheroes who has no powers until he suddenly gets them. Kurt Russell plays Steve Stronghold, the Commander, and Kelly Preston plays Josie Stronghold, Jetstream. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell and written by a team that includes Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley, who created Kim Possible. It runs 100 minutes and grossed $86.4 million worldwide against a $35 million budget.
The setup is simple. Will is nervous about attending Sky High, a floating school for teenagers with abilities, because he hasn’t shown any yet. His best friend is Layla Williams, played by Danielle Panabaker. His crush is Gwen Grayson, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. And the school divides students into “Heroes,” who have powers, and “Sidekicks,” who don’t. Will gets put in the Sidekick track, which humiliates him and Layla, who joins him in protest.
Trailer, via Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers.
The Commander’s Trophy Room
The film’s central mystery involves a hidden trophy room called the Secret Sanctum. Will’s dad shows him a collection of weapons he took from villains over the years, including the “Pacifier,” a weapon taken from Royal Pain, the presumed-dead arch-nemesis of the Commander. The Commander fails to notice a hidden camera in a new trophy, which sets up a plot thread about his wife’s past. This is the film’s attempt at emotional weight, but it never quite lands.
Layla’s Feelings and the Dance
Layla tells Warren Peace, played by Steven Strait, that she loves Will. Gwen, meanwhile, invites Will’s parents to the Homecoming dance. She spends the evening with them while Will stays home. On the day before the dance, Gwen tricks Will into throwing a party at his house and has Speed, played by Zachry Rogers, steal the Pacifier. Layla tries to investigate but is stopped by Gwen, who claims Will knows about her feelings for him and is too polite to reject her. Layla leaves in tears, and Will breaks up with Gwen.
Zack Attack and the Other Sidekicks
Nicholas Braun plays Zachary “Zach” Braun, Zack Attack, a sidekick and Will’s childhood friend who glows in the dark. Kelly Vitz plays Magenta “Maj” Lewis, a sidekick who can turn into a guinea pig. Dee Jay Daniels plays Ethan Bank, Popsicle, a sidekick who melts into a liquid. These characters exist mostly to fill out the Sidekick track, and their jokes feel like filler rather than character development.
Kevin McDonald and Dave Foley
Kevin McDonald plays Mr. Medulla, and Dave Foley plays Mr. Boy. Their roles are small, but they add some of the film’s funniest lines. Kevin Heffernan plays Ron Wilson, the kind-hearted bus driver whose father and mother were superheroes. Ron gains the ability to grow to a giant size after falling into a vat of toxic waste, which is a classic cartoon-style origin story.
The Homecoming Dance and Its Aftermath
The Homecoming dance is where the film’s central conflict comes to a head. Gwen has stolen the Pacifier, and Layla is heartbroken. Will breaks up with Gwen, and the film ends with Layla ignoring him. It’s a quiet ending for a movie that spent most of its runtime being loud and silly.
“Saving the world.. one homework assignment at a time.”
That tagline captures the film’s attitude. It’s a comedy about superheroes, but it’s really a comedy about teenagers. The jokes land sometimes, especially the ones involving Ron Wilson and his giant-size growth. But the film never fully commits to its emotional stakes. Will’s struggle to balance being a normal teenager and an extraordinary being is the setup, but the payoff is thin.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The performances are solid across the board. Angarano sells Will’s anxiety and his sudden power. Russell plays the Commander with a warm, paternal presence. Preston brings a grounded energy to Jetstream. Winstead plays Gwen as a confident, cool villain, and Panabaker plays Layla with genuine warmth. The supporting cast, from Ron Wilson to Zack Attack, gives the film its energy.
The film’s biggest problem is its structure. The story jumps between threads without giving any of them enough time to breathe. The Commander’s trophy room mystery is introduced early and then mostly forgotten. The Homecoming dance subplot is resolved quickly. The film feels rushed, and it doesn’t trust its audience to sit with the quieter moments.
A Cult Film With Flaws
Sky High has been recognized as a cult film, and that recognition is deserved. It has a devoted fanbase, and it holds up better than most Disney comedies of its era. But it’s far from perfect. The jokes are uneven, and the emotional beats feel shallow. It’s a film that knows how to entertain but not how to resonate.
The film’s best sequence is the one where Will suddenly develops super-strength. It’s a moment of genuine surprise, and it sets the film on a new path. But the film doesn’t build on that momentum. It meanders through its remaining runtime, touching on ideas about family, friendship, and identity without ever committing to them.
A Final Verdict
Sky High is a competent, occasionally funny comedy that never quite reaches its full potential. It has a strong cast, a likable lead, and a premise that could have been richer. But the pacing is off, the jokes are uneven, and the emotional core is underdeveloped. It’s a film that’s worth seeing once, for the laughs and the nostalgia, but it’s not a film that demands repeated viewings.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
