Hannah Montana: The Movie

by Aaron Helfferich · Published April 11, 2009

We knew it wouldn’t take long, but the full-length film version of Disney’s mega-franchise, “Hannah Montana,” is finally a reality. By joining the ranks of “High School Musical” and many other teen sensations, “Hannah Montana : The Movie” is bursting with all that good-natured lesson-teaching fun that parents can’t seem to get away from. Surprisingly, there’s more to like here than you might be expecting.

“Hannah Montana: The Movie” seemingly picks up where the Disney Channel original series left off in a present day tour. The main character, Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), is still living out her secret double life as a pop-star named Hannah Montana. However, with all the fame an fortune piling in on the Stewart family, the father and tour manager, Robby Ray (Miley’s real-life father, Billy Ray Cyrus) decides to cancel the remaining tour dates, and return her to her roots in Crowley Corners, Tennessee. Ultimately, she faces the question; “does she really want to be Hannah Montana?”

The power of this film truly lies in the pairing of Miley Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray. While they portray fictional characters of father and daughter in the film, you can’t help but notice the adorable charisma that adds to the quality of this story. Unlike many other relationships in this franchise, their’s seems down to earth, genuine, and wholesomely full of honest laughter.

What also feels organic is the film’s adopted attention to detail. By moving the setting to the beautiful countryside of Miley’s hometown, a plethora of opportunities open up for unique cinematography. Surprisingly, the film makes distinct use of it. There’s an inherent production value at work here that’s unlike the humdrum of the TV counterpart.

If you analyze it deep enough, you’ll find the film manages to contradict its own message of staying true to yourself. While it might be a formulaic Disney story, the Hannah Montana movie experience is elevated by genuine performances. By improving an increasingly thin concept the producers got the best of both worlds.