The New JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS Trailer Introduces Synergy Sort Of
Today's new trailer for Jon M. Chu's Jem and the Holograms answers a question many of us have been asking since day one: will the film include a holographic computer named Synergy?
The answer, it appears, is yes. And it's built by Jerrica's dad and has something to do with her earrings, somehow, and all of that is fine and correct. Which is admirable! But... look. I'm really trying not to split hairs here, because obviously Synergy couldn't look like this:
I mean, why not, but yeah, I can see why a live action feature film might have a rough time conceptualizing an '80s aerobic synthesizer organ-bot, so sure, this cute little wheely robot that projects Jerrica's childhood home videos will have to do.
Still, the tone of this film overall feels wrong, and baby Synergy feeds into that. The original cartoon is really empowering - Jem and the Holograms, plus the twelve girls Jerrica is fostering at the Starlight House and all of the Misfits, are tough and rebellious despite their candy-colored hair and spandex outfits. It's that attitude, far more than any of the shiny trappings, that makes Jem and the Holograms resonate with girls even now, new generation fans who caught it on DVD or streaming on Netflix.
Chu's film seems to be making a commendable effort at getting the colors and the wigs and the holograms (maybe) right, but if it's missing the bright moxie of the series, it's missing the point. Jem creator Christy Marx, who doesn't even receive a "characters created by" credit, has been shut out of every part of the production of this movie (though she states very clearly that Chu has been nothing but respectful and gracious); it would be a shame if her vision receives the same treatment.
