ironhorse_iv
This movie doesn't look like it learn from the mistakes of M. Night Shyamalan had with 2010's 'The Last Airbender'; in which, that film fail due to incomprehensible plotting, detached joyless direction and straying too far from the source material. Like that movie, this film also suffer from those examples. It's sad, because the film was directed by longtime fan, Jon M. Chu whom spent ten years developing the project with producer, Jason Blum and it doesn't even look close to the 1980s animated television series 'Jem' by Christy Marx, in which it was based on. Instead of capitalize on the source material's goofy charm, the film went for a bland by-the-numbers drama in which teenage songwriter Jerrica Benton AKA Jem (Aubrey Peeples) find success on Youtube. Only to find herself & her foster sisters being offered a record deal from music producer Erica Raymond (Juliette Lewis) whom might be, using their fame for sinister motives. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, I was really disappointed by the lack of story, here. It's so generic. After all, the whole idea having music career, will save, the family's sacred building from being foreclosed, has been done, before & better in films, such as 1980's 'Blue Brothers' & 2011's 'The Muppets'. Not only that, but it gives a very weak mixed message about career vs family. I get that, sticking to your family is a good message, but Jerrica became one of the world's biggest celebrities thanks to a video of her playing acoustic guitar in her bedroom, alone. It's not like the fans in this movie, knows about the other members of the band to care about them. They only perform, one concert, in a very small warehouse, where the power goes off & that said video only had 36,000 views, which is considered small on YouTube terms. A solo act is not like the evil kiss of death, in this stage of career. Also, strangely enough, Jem's said to be the biggest pop star in the world, yet she can't stop her aunt's house besides selling out to Erica!? I get that, she just starting her career, but Jem's fame meant she had other ways to get the money, for example, she could have raise the funds by selling autographs and other memorabilia, or better yet, sell the robot, Synergy. Also, the whole idea of Erica wanting Jem to go solo, makes no sense, since she can make money, either way. That conflict seem forced. It would make sense, if Jem & the Holograms were unsigned singing talents who were fighting a rival band like the Misfits for a chance to receive a record deal with a major label in singing competition television series. Now, that would be somewhat compelling and watchable, instead of this fake real-life Justin Beiber's rags to riches story. It sucks so much, that film rarely has time for the synergy subplot. You know, the movie written by Ryan Landels is rushing it, when the heist in the middle doesn't make any sense, since Jem still owns the earrings, and they can come in & out of the building, as much as they can, since, technically, Erica works for them. Plus, why did Jem's father, put all the parts in random areas!? All of this plot-holes, makes 2009's 'Hanna Montana: The Movie's' plot seem like a masterpiece. Another problem with this movie is the way, it was shot. It shot as if, watching a low budget found footage film on Youtube. Lots of blurriness, off-angles, from these hand-held camera moments. It's amateurism, when it shouldn't be. Also, what is the deal with all the random viral videos that they put, throughout this movie!? Little of what is being shown, adds to the film like the squirrel on jet skis. If that wasn't bad enough, I really don't like all the manipulative editing, they did to this film, making it seem like both celebrities and real-life fans of the cartoons were fans of this movie. It's misleading. Some of these videos even show the original Jem cartoon in the backstage, showing how poor these lies are. Despite that, I have to say Peeples' performance as Jem is memorable even if all the songs were mediocre, as well as Lewis as a nonsensical evil witch caricature. Even the costume and make up, weren't that bad, as it come close to the vibrant spirit of the Jem cartoons that originally made fans fall in love. However, with all that, I still don't think, this movie should had been made. After all, the 1980s animated television show about a singer who led a double life, using technology from a supercomputer named Synergy to use holograms in her earrings to disguise herself was just as bad. Honestly, what is the point of staying hidden, if your hologram looks exactly like you, only with different hair & make up!? It makes no sense. It's truly outrageous in a bad way. Also, it has a pretty weak drama, in which, the only person, who doesn't know who Jem is, is her purple hair boyfriend, Rio. Is he, really that dumb? Also I don't like, how the show portray pop rock hair band as the heroes, and the punk scene of the 1980s as the villains. It's really shallow. Not only that, but the show is so into the fashion & music styles of the times, that it makes it seem super dated. If that doesn't make it anymore superficial; the cheaply made animation makes it, nearly unwatchable. So, in the end, it was a movie, nearly nobody wanted to see, as few people saw it. It was literally pulled from theaters in two weeks. That's how much, it bomb. Overall: Ignored by the masses, panned by the critics, and despised by true fans of the original show. This movie deserves it all. It's a piece of crap. Don't recommended watching at it.
