"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" can't be dissected and discussed the same way as most movies.

By design, it is intended for a young audience and not for the general masses. So if you want to appreciate it like its target audience of tweeners, you have to look at the movie through their eyes.

After two cable films on the Disney Channel, with the cast singing and dancing through the halls of East High School, the action moves to the big screen.

It's senior year. And in a piece of obvious writing, the gang gets cast in the school play called "Senior Year." There are problems. No one wants to concentrate on the play — they're too busy thinking about what they will be doing after high school. After all, they could be in "High School Musical 4" if this film lives up to its box-office expectations.

The gang's all back. Zac Efron, who has graced more magazine covers than both presidential candidates combined, is Troy Bolton. Vanessa Hudgens returns as the generally optimistic Gabriella. Troy and Gabriella's relationship has hit a major crossroad. And Ashley Tisdale gives the film its big laughs through her over-the-top performance as the snooty Sharpay Evans.

With director/choreographer Kenny Ortega again at the helm, "High School Musical 3" does not have the memorable music numbers of the first movies. That's balanced out by bigger and better dance numbers, thanks to a combination of the cast having had three films to work on their moves and a bigger budget.

The film's biggest weakness is the influx of new students: Matt Prokop as Jimmie Zara, Justin Martin as Donny Dion and Jemma McKenzie-Brown as Tiara Gold. Don't expect them to become BFFs (Best Film Friends). There are local high school productions with better actors than these three.

The casting doesn't bode well for future trips down the halls of East High. But for at least one more time, the film's charismatic and energetic cast of regulars demonstrates why they have made "High School Musical" such a phenomenon.

By most standards, "High School Musical 3" would make a good cable movie. But again, it shouldn't be compared to other feature film releases.

This one is for the fans who go to sleep each night in their "High School Musical" pajamas under their "High School Musical" blanket after turning off their "High School Musical" light.