Camp Rock

I wasn't sure what Camp Rock would be like, as I heard a lot of bad things about it, and a lot of comparing to High School Musical. As I didn't care that much for the latter, I gave Camp Rock a shot, expecting it to be bad. Instead...it wasn't THAT bad. Yes, it was predictable and bland, but there were some enjoyable things about it.

Admittedly the story is very predictable, it is the sort of thing you have seen before and there is nothing special here. The script also has its weak spots and clichés, and some of the characters felt shallow.

However, the performances had a lot of spirit and enthusiasm about them, with Demi Lovato sweet and pretty in the title role especially. I thought the soundtrack was groovy and in general quite catchy, not my sort of thing really, but even after 15 minutes I can still remember the end song. The choreography is good, repetitive perhaps in one or two areas but not too bad. Also the ending has a touch of feel good about it.

Overall, nothing to rave about or anything special, but not as bad as I thought it would be. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato) is desperate to attend the prestigious Camp Rock. She is overjoyed when her mother gets a discount by working in the kitchen. She is befriended by Caitlyn Geller (Alyson Stoner) but she abandons her to be a follower of snooty selfish Tess (Meaghan Martin) who has a famous mother. Like everyone else, she falls for celebrity counselor Shane Gray (Joe Jonas) who is trying to rehab his damaged public reputation. He overhears her singing and falls for her without actually seeing her or knowing her identity. All the while, she is hiding her poor kitchen help background from all the other kids.

Demi Lovato is a thing. The Jonas Brothers is a thing. I was never into that thing. I'm not a hater. That's not my thing either. It's nice to see the origins of these things. Everybody has the energetic sincerity. These young performers have good charisma. The story is a mash of various underdog, Cinderella, musical things. It's all very sincere and appealing in that try-hard way. It was supposed to be the next High School Musical and it faltered as that. The everybody gets along happy ending is too saccharine and it devolves into a glee club grind. Nevertheless, let's not be haters.

First off just let me say this is one of the best films I have ever seen!

Camp Rock delivers a great story line along with some clever humour. The songs on it are great.

Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato (the star of the show) were great together. I thought they were what made this film work so well.

Now, Demi Lovato. She was superb in this film. Her singing was great and her acting comparable to that of Robert De Niro in his prime.

One thing I will say is ignore the other reviews which slate this film. I am not a great fan of this particular genre but this was great.

I regularly re-watch this movie as it is that good, I highly recommend it.

This is real, this is me...

Face it, the majority of viewers were Jonas Brother fans. Nothing wrong with that at all, in fact, it was probably the movie's selling point.

However... The script was poorly written. Unrealistic moments and scenes are embedded throughout the movie, Camp Rock sitting at the top of them all. The plot was VERY predictable, and lines seemed forced and very, well. PLOTTED. haha. The Jonas Brothers made their appearance, as promised, but don't expect any acting close to Zac Efron's or Shia LaBeouf's. Joe Jonas, playing the main protagonist, is not meant to be an actor. His voice is mediocre and sounds nicer with backup vocals and guitar. Nick Jonas seemed robotic (why were his swim trunks so short?) but Kevin Jonas played a pleasing and likable airhead.

Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff and Shia LaBeouf have left Disney. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are on the way out. Disney has come to realize that they can't keep depending on the JoBros and Hannah/Miley Cyrus to reel in the cash. So, they introduced a new, but not-as-cute as Hilary Duff face: Demi Lovato. Okay, she's not edgy and charismatic like La Lohan, not NEARLY as exotic as Hudgens, and not as experienced and cheeky as Cyrus, but hey! She did okay. Her voice is good enough to be unforgotten, but also be hard to remember. I'm happy they didn't use her best friend, Selena Gomez, who is another tool in Disney's attempts to recreate lovable shows that don't come close to Lizzie McGuire or Even Stevens.

Anyways, the music's simple, sounds familiar, but is fairly pleasing. The acting (including MORE not as talented faces)is mediocre and slightly painful at times. (Excluding Alyson Stoner, who was probably the best) I don't recommend watching the movie more than twice, because by then, you'll know each line, each verse, and each forced laugh, and fake diss. This doesn't rock completely, but it's not so disappointing either. :)

Insert sadface here. This rockin' was supposed to be so much more than it lead on, but it really failed to deliver. I'm quite sad to say that Camp Rock may not be a failure to Jonas Brothers fans and teenage girls, though compared to other Disney Channel Movies, it just does not deliver.

The story starts off with Michie Torres, a girl that desperately wants to attend a Rock and Roll camp, and subplots Joe Jonas being throw back into his old stomping grounds before he became the hotshot that he is in Connect 3.

Right in, they establish the characters of Michie as the shy girl, and the rather rude Shane Gray. It seems that cliché character development only kicks in after a few scenes, for little to no reason at all. The work done by the actors was relatively decent, with a few small exceptions. However, having to deal with a horrible script like Camp Rock, is a task in it's on. The film tries to create conflict with an enemy that nobody really cares about, or has any ill feelings for. The mark of good character development is to love your enemy. Perhaps Meaghan Jette Martin had a scene or two that was cut that really showed us that she had such feelings for her family.

Camp Rock has all your normal stereotypical Disney children in it. Your hero(in), the hero's sidekick, other friends introduced for comedic value, the hero's enemy, and the enemies cronies. Disney does not fail to deliver an overdone plot of being ashamed of your family and how lying is bad. Blah blah blah... Girl lies, gets out casted, expresses remorse and sticks up for herself. Haven't seen this stuff in a Disney movie before! Nope, not me! Lastly, the music. Though it is somewhat strange that a rock star would be a hip hop teacher at a rock and roll camp, I found that it worked for the most part. Most of the songs are forgettable at best until the finale, as many musicals are. Though, these select songs make this movie re watchable and marketable for Disney. It will probably launch *a* career...

I'm quite sure it's got to be just a big Jonas Brothers promotional video. I'm sure the funds raked in for this film will also be astronomical much like its musical counterpart, High School Musical.

All in all, the story is boring and forgettable, but some of the songs you'll be singing to your self after seeing the film once or twice (or perhaps 20 or so, if you know Disney Channel). Watch this once, definitely, to see if it's your cup of tea. But it didn't quite do it for me the way HSM did it for the rest of the world.