The Film
The topic of prom seems like prime pickings for a made-for-Disney-Channel movie. However, the studio decided to go wide and make Prom a theatrical endeavor. Who knew? Apparently, a few people. The movie made back its $8 million budget and a few extra bucks as well. It didn't quite destroy the box office, but people seem to have a hankering for old-fashioned teen angst, especially when it's in a fancy dress.
One of those dresses belongs to Nova (Scream 4's Aimee Teegarden), the pretty, blonde prom committee head, whose going to Georgetown in the fall -- on a scholarship, of course. She's the driving force of the movie, even though there are multiple other characters whose entire existence seems to revolve around that one enchanted evening.
It's not exactly Crash, but these characters certainly have their share of drama. The road to prom is not without its potholes. There's plenty of couple drama, senioritis, underclassmen issues, and of course, the one guy (Nicholas Braun) who just can't get a date.
It's hard to take Prom as seriously as it comes across. There's no drunkeness, first times, or all that much fun, for that matter. It's cheesy, predictable, and probably would have done a lot better on the aforementioned Disney Channel.
The Picture
This is a theatrical Disney release, so you should know that means it looks nice. Disney keeps its winning streak alive with this HDTV-friendly 1.78:1 transfer, which is very clean with good colors and plenty of detail. There are endless outfits and a wide mix of skintones, all of which are very lifelike. Our one gripe is that the film seems to have some sort of filter throughout, making it look dimmer than it should. This is actually the film, though, and not the Blu-ray. That said, Prom still has plenty of twinkle.
The Sound
Prom uses its DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack fairly well for a low-budget film. There are no big musical numbers, which is something we'd really expect from a Disney movie about the prom. However, it does have its share of music, which you should know by scanning the film's special features section. Those tracks sound fine, but the film isn't exactly a dynamic experience. Besides the occasional pop songs, there are a few ambient sounds and the dialogue, which sounds good and is certainly the main attraction.
The Extras
Most of Prom's special features will appeal to some of the film's target demographic -- at least those with a short attention span. There are bloopers, deleted scenes and a whopping seven music videos. There's also an 8.5-minute featurette recapping Lloyd's various prom proposals. It doesn't deliver on its promises to be "laugh out loud" and "hilarious," but it does include some deleted footage. Even though it clocks in at under 6 minutes, most viewers probably won't care much about "Putting on Prom," a meatier, but sort of fluffy making-of short.
Final Thoughts
If you thought High School Musical could have been less musical, then maybe you will enjoy Prom. It combines all of your favorite stereotypes into one movie. Unfortunately, it doesn't make any of them very fun to watch. Lighten up, people; it's Prom! That said, if you have a pre-teen girl that loves her some drama about trivial things like the prom, consider yourself extremely lucky and get her this nice looking Blu-ray.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
