Jem and the Holograms (2015) Universal/Musical-Fantasy RT: 118 minutes Rated PG (thematic material including reckless behavior, brief suggestive content, some language) Director: Jon M. Chu Screenplay: Ryan Landels Music: Nathan Lanier Cinematography: Alice Brooks Release date: October 23, 2015 (US) Cast: Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott, Hayley Kiyoko, Aurora Perrineau, Ryan Guzman, Molly Ringwald, Juliette Lewis, Nathan Moore, Barnaby Carpenter, Ryan Hansen. Box Office: $2.1M (US)/$2.3M (World)
Rating: * ½
The most truly outrageous thing about the live-action adaptation of Jem and the Holograms is how utterly lame it is. I never watched the original cartoon, which ran in the 80s, but my niece and nephew did. I’d catch glimpses of it as I walk past the TV. I remember that it was colorful, vibrant and energetic. The movie captures none of the cartoon’s original spirit. Instead, it settles for a bland, been-there-done-that drama about family, the cost of fame and the dark side of the music industry.
Not knowing anything else about Jem and the Holograms, I read the Wikipedia entry and discovered (to absolutely no surprise) that Jem and the Holograms bears only a superficial resemblance to its namesake. In the show, heroine Jerrica Benton becomes Jem by way of a holographic computer named Synergy. In the movie, makeup and a wig do the trick and Synergy is turned into a small robot that makes R2-D2 sounds and projects holographic images. Fans of the show are likely to be disheartened by such changes. Non-fans will likely be bored regardless.
Like the show, the movie centers on Jerrica (Peeples, Nashville), lead singer of a rock band whose line-up consists of kid sister Kimber (Scott, Insidious: Chapter 3) and foster sisters Aja (Kiyoko, CSI: Cyber) and Shana (Perrineau, Chasing Life). For here on in, the description applies solely to the movie. Jerrica is a super-talented singer-songwriter who’s afraid to put herself out there. She gets a nudge when a letter arrives informing her foster mother and aunt, Bailey (Ringwald, Sixteen Candles), that the bank plans to foreclose on their house in 30 days. She records a video of herself in disguise singing one of her songs. Kimber uploads it on-line (i.e. YouTube, Twitter, etc.) and “Jem” becomes an instant Internet sensation.
The video is seen by Erica Raymond (Lewis, Natural Born Killers), head of Starlight Music, who offers her a deal. Jerrica agrees to accept on the condition that Erica signs on her sisters as well. The girls head off to L.A. (where Jerrica and Kimber are originally from) to start their careers.
Jerrica brings Synergy, built by her late father, on the road with her. Curiously, it comes to life once they arrive in L.A. It seems to be sending them on a quest of sorts to gather parts for the unfinished robot which contains a secret message left by Obi-Wan….. I mean, Dad. Romance comes in the form of Rio (Guzman, The Boy Next Door), the intern charged by Erica to watch the girls and make sure they don’t smoke, drink or break curfew. Since it’s a PG movie, they only break the third rule. Did I mention that Rio is also Erica’s son? He’s tough at first, but changes his tune upon realizing that he LIKES Jerrica.
Any movie set within the music industry contains a few inevitabilities. The most prominent one is that the executive doesn’t have his or her client’s best interests at heart and will force said client to choose between family/friends and career. Such is the choice faced by Jerrica when she asks Erica for an advance so she can save her aunt’s house. Ordinarily, this would be the central conflict of the movie, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Jem and the Holograms. Director Jon M. Chu (Step Up 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation) sets it up only to resolve it within minutes. It doesn’t take up much screen time at all. He treats the subplot about saving the aunt’s house in a dismissive way, only bringing it up once in a while. At times, it appears to be forgotten altogether. It’s not even resolved all that clearly. While the stuff with Synergy is mildly interesting, Jem and the Holograms offers nothing in the way of tension or true drama.
I was hoping for something fun like the self-aware Josie and the Pussycats (a guilty pleasure!) or even campy like Xanadu (another guilty pleasure), but Jem and the Holograms is neither. It’s actually rather boring. It also runs much too long, just under the two-hour mark. A couple of the numbers are okay (like the impromptu a cappella number under the Santa Monica Pier). The actresses can actually sing, but the songs are instantly forgettable. Peeples has a pleasing voice and is easy on the eyes, but that’s about it. She’s not much of a lead actress. She’s fine as Layla on Nashville, but that’s only a supporting role. Aside from appearance, there’s not much of a discernible difference between Jerrica and Jem. I didn’t notice much of a personality change. Overall, the acting in Jem and the Holograms is uninspired. The girls in Josie and the Pussycats had distinctive personalities. The girls in this movie have personas that get lost once the story shifts to L.A. Lewis could have really camped it up as the villain, but instead comes off as an office manager with PMS. Ringwald is fine, but isn’t given much to do.
The look of the movie is equally uninspired. It lacks any real visual flair. And what’s up with all the cutaways to YouTube videos and the like? Is Chu trying to make a statement about how today’s youth uses technology to become famous for 15 minutes? At one point, Jerrica/Jem watches a bunch of clips from teen fans thanking her for helping them find their voices. They talk about being bullied because they’re different and being afraid to express themselves. This just feels false and tacked-on.
Honestly, Jem and the Holograms doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be. Mostly, it’s the bland drama I described earlier. Sometimes, it’s a treasure hunt adventure that culminates in a break-in/heist at the heavily guarded Starlight Music building. What it isn’t is fun. It’s aimed at young audiences, but I don’t think the kids will be into it. A mid-credits scene sets up a potential sequel, but I have a feeling it’ll never happen. If you didn’t grow up in the 80s, you’d never know it’s based on a cartoon. It’s just one great big sour note.
