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Unruly schoolgirls unite to get rich – oh, and thwart crime – in another noisy instalment of the revived franchise. It’s a new term, and Annabelle Fritton (Talulah Riley) has been made head girl. Her first responsibility is thrust upon her when the gals discover a Fritton ancestor hid buried treasure. Two rings hold the key to its location: one has been found by a pupil, the other is missing. Both are desired by the dastardly Lord Pomfrey (David Tennant). And so the girls must square up to Pomfrey, infiltrate a secret society and run riot around London’s landmarks in short skirts and over-the-knee socks.
But all this plot stuff is pretty irrelevant in a ‘St Trinian’s’ movie: it’s about escapism for young girls, and in the tradition of teen movies, there’s an idol for each tribe: Emos, Rude Girls, Posh Totties, Geeks and ‘Ecos’ (the Noughties answer to Crusties). Lazy pop culture references abound, including several out-dated Amy Winehouse gags. There’s also a token schoolgirl role for 28-year-old Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, who rocks up looking like the babysitter. Every time she chimes in an octave lower, you think she’s going to get rumbled. Alongside painful stereotypes are the usual exceptions: Rupert Everett as kindly, eccentric headmistress Camilla Fritton and Colin Firth as her former lover Geoffrey. Everett is a particular delight, adding nuance to broad one-liners and sympathetic touches to his character. In short, it’s business as usual at St Trinian’s.