The first trailer to the big screen adaptation of Jem and the Holograms left us pop culture fans scratching their heads wondering what kind of movie we would be getting. With no Misfits and no call backs to the technology that transformed four girls into ’80s pop stars, it seemed like this was another reboot doomed to stray way off the path of the fun (but admittedly dated) source material.
I figured it unlikely director Jon M. Chu (the Step Up series) was going to appease fans of the animated ’80s show with an over the top musical set to a glam pop soundtrack. The initial sneak peek instead promised a contemporary look into the angst ridden lives of You Tubers who suddenly find themselves thrust into the spotlight as unexpected celebrities.
This second trailer adds into the mix a major aspect from the show (which was sorely missed in the first one). The small robot serves as an introduction to Jerrica Benton’s father Emmett, whose inventions inspired and allowed his daughter to become something greater (in the show at least). This simple plot point brings the feel of this movie a little closer to the source material, but make no mistake there’s still a way’s to go before it really hits the mark.
In the cartoon Jerrica Benton inherited technology from Emmett in the form of a computer called Synergy that allowed her to take on a secret identity as the rock star Jem. Jerrica was engulfed by holograms projected from special earrings controlled by Synergy to hide her identity.
Yes, behold the magical fantasy stuff of a female demo’d syndicated cartoon slotted for the mid-’80s after school time period shared with G.I. Joe and Transformers, He-Man and She-Ra.
Granted the term, concept and actual use of holograms was a very cutting edge bit of technology back in the glory days of the ’80s and made for a great hat trick for many movies and TV shows (go on and check out ABC’s Automan). But since Jerrica’s band is called The Holograms after all, let’s see how some old ’80s tech finds its way into the plot.
But the tone of the film nonetheless still seems to steer towards the pitfalls of fame and record label politics over the sheer fantasy and colorful glam aspect of the animated series. Check out the show’s opening sequence and then ask yourself where in this movie will they shoe in a character saying “Truly outrageous”?
And we’re still waiting for the rival band The Misfits to get a teaser. Now there’s stunt casting possibilities galore, especially with Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun aboard as a producer of this film.
Here is the official synopsis for Jem and the Holograms:
As a small-town girl catapults from underground video sensation to global superstar, she and her three sisters begin a one-in-a-million journey of discovering that some talents are too special to keep hidden. In Universal Pictures’ Jem and the Holograms, four aspiring musicians will take the world by storm when they see that the key to creating your own destiny lies in finding your own voice.
Directed by Jon M. Chu (Step Up series, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), the musical adventure stars Aubrey Peeples, Stefanie Scott, Aurora Perrineau, Hayley Kiyoko, Ryan Guzman, Molly Ringwald and Juliette Lewis. Jem and the Holograms, based on the iconic Hasbro animated TV series, is written by Ryan Landels and produced by Chu, Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions, Scooter Braun for SB Projects, Bennett Schneir, and Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis of Hasbro Studios.
Jem and the Holograms is set for release on October 23rd and stars Aubrey Peeples (Jerrica/Jem), Stefanie Scott (Kimber), Hayley Kiyoko (Aja), Aurora Perrineau (Shana), Juliette Lewis (Erica Raymond), Molly Ringwald (Mrs. Bailey) and Ryan Guzman (Rio).
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