Sky High (2005)

After my relative disappointment with the film reviewed below, I am beginning to think that it occasionally pays off to approach a movie without any expectations and to hope for a pleasant surprise. That, more or less, applies to the above flick about kids with "powers" of various strengths attending a high school for superheroes (where the principal appropriately is Wonder Woman, Linda Carter).  On arrival the intake are judged on their abilities and relegated to either the hero or sidekick stream -- kind of like the popular jocks and nerds in other U.S. school movies.  Our hero's abilities had not yet manifested themselves, despite his being the son of two of the greatest, and he is initially dumped with the other outcasts, whose skills range from being able to glow or to turn into a puddle or a very small hamster.  Apart from his parents, played by Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston (and horrified that he may not be able to follow in the family tradition), it is a no-name cast but a very appealing one.  Full of imaginative effects and ever good-natured, our hero learns the Disney lesson that everyone has worthwhile qualities -- except of course the obvious villainess who finally receives her just desserts.  Apart from Russell being somewhat obnoxious in his self-esteem and his expectations, it was by and large a wholesome and recommendable view for all the family.