Though marketed to a tween audience, Sky High is full of nods and winks meant for older viewers. The film doesn't parody the solemn post-Watchmen super-heroics seen in Batman Begins and the Spider-Man movies, rather the tongue of this venture is firmly planted in the cheek of the Adam West and Super Friends era.
This is most apparent in the adult characters, especially Kurt Russell, dead-on and ham-handed in his role as super-man and father Commander Stronghold to young protagonist Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano).
The story involves Will's difficulty finding his place in a high school completely populated by superheroes in training. He lacks any superpowers but has his parents' monumental reputation to live up to. Of course it wouldn't be a superhero story without some villian's nefarious plot to take over the school.
The script, penned by a trio of Kim Possible veterans, not so subtly matches every high-school cliché with a superhero parallel. The typical rift between nerds and popular kids becomes the obvious tension between superheroes and sidekicks. Easily the darkest parallel involves a disgruntled kid from a broken home where his dad is a supervillain and his mother a superheroine.
Angarano isn't a good actor but is just awkward enough to be sympathetic. Kids in the Hall alumni Kevin McDonald and Dave Foley bring twisted life to their roles as teachers, and Bruce Campbell comes through as the smugly condescending superhero gym coach, Boomer. Two kids who really shine are Danielle Panabaker as Layla, Will's girl buddy who secretly has a crush on him; and Steven Strait as the broken-home kid.
The proceedings are predictable in respect to both teens and heroes, but the goofy grace of the caper is what's at the heart of the matter. Nobody involved in this film fails to have fun, and you can't help but be swayed as well—something newer superhero tales could take to heart.