This movie was actually very true to the original cartoon. My review does contain a spoiler.
The plot of the movie actually followed the plot of the first few episodes of season 1 very closely. In the original cartoon Jerrica is running a home for foster kids along with Kimber, Aja, and Shana. It's going broke. She needs cash. And she's lost control of her company to Eric Raymond. (The movie's villain, Erica Raymond, basically acts exactly like Eric did–which made her a great villain).
Fortunately, they find Synergy, launch Jem and the Holograms, play a concert and save the day. A few seasons later the band briefly breaks up because Jem is getting all of the attention and being treated like a solo act–and Jem is letting herself be treated like a solo act. She has to get out there and fix it. Again, this happens in the movie.
Jem goes through the movie with a great deal of agency. It all had the classic Jem spirit.
I was able to sit through the film going: "Yep, that happened in the cartoon, and that happened, and that happened "
Give it a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised if you are a fellow JtH fan.
The plot of the movie actually followed the plot of the first few episodes of season 1 very closely. In the original cartoon Jerrica is running a home for foster kids along with Kimber, Aja, and Shana. It's going broke. She needs cash. And she's lost control of her company to Eric Raymond. (The movie's villain, Erica Raymond, basically acts exactly like Eric did–which made her a great villain).
Fortunately, they find Synergy, launch Jem and the Holograms, play a concert and save the day. A few seasons later the band briefly breaks up because Jem is getting all of the attention and being treated like a solo act–and Jem is letting herself be treated like a solo act. She has to get out there and fix it. Again, this happens in the movie.
Jem goes through the movie with a great deal of agency. It all had the classic Jem spirit.
I was able to sit through the film going: "Yep, that happened in the cartoon, and that happened, and that happened "
Give it a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised if you are a fellow JtH fan.