Starring Raven-Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Sabrina Ryan
Directed by Oz Scott
Music and Lyrics by various
The Disney Channel's first musical franchise was this girl-power series based after the young adult novels of the same title. While Disney put out its own TV movies from its inception, it didn't start branding them as such until the release of the horror comedy Under Wraps in 1997. By the time The Cheetah Girls debuted, Disney Channel Original Movies, or "DCOMs," often pulled in some of the highest ratings on cable and frequently gave major boosts to whatever young stars Disney had appearing on its shows of the time. Ultra-hip pop groups made up of teens or young adults, like the Spice Girls or the Backstreet Boys, were also huge with kids in the late 90's, selling CDs and concerts in the millions. How do the two come together in this story of four girls hoping to make it big as rock stars in Manhattan? Let's start at a birthday party in Central Park as "The Cheetah Girls" start to realize their dreams and find out...
The Story: Best friends Galleria (Raven-Symone), Chanel (Adrianne Bailon), Aquanette (Kiely Williams), and Dorinda (Sabrina Bryan) are hoping to become the first freshmen to win their school talent show. Their audition thrills their drama teacher and attracts the attention of record producer Jackal Johnson. He thinks the girls have what it takes to become big stars. Convinced the girls will become rich and famous, Galleria talks them into ditching the talent show in favor of recording a song with Jackal. Turns out Jackal's more interested in molding them into his idea of a teen group and having them lip-sync to other people's songs than what the girls really have to offer. Galleria splits when she thinks the others are interested and they admit they're tired of her bossiness. It takes Galleria's dog Toto falling down a pipe to reunite the Girls and remind them of the joy the feel when they sing together.
The Song and Dance: The girl power runs thick and fast here with an empowering message of girls achieving their dreams. I appreciate that all of the girls have curvy, fairly normal bodies and are from diverse backgrounds and races. I also like how the parents are generally portrayed. Though it seems at first like they're neglectful or holding the girls back, Chanel and Galleria's parents really do love them and want what's best for them.
Favorite Number: We open with "Cheetah Sisters," that awkward but high-energy dance routine the girls perform for Chanel's little brother at his birthday party. It ends with Aquanette stumbling over her feet, but the girls are still encouraged to pursue their dreams. Their cover of the early 2000's hit "Cinderella" is the one that wins them the audition. The girls do have a pretty decent routine and put across the song's message of independence well. The movie ends with everyone celebrating over that pipe as the girls discover that "Together We Can" save a dog and make music together.
What I Don't Like: Oh boy, do the clichés run hot and heavy in this one! The four best friends who break up when one gets a big head, then suddenly makes up and are best friends again...stop me if you've heard that one. Stiff and silly dialogue that tries way too hard to be "hip" and the girls' constant screaming and squealing makes the movie that much harder to sit through and dates it badly. And that finale, with the girls in their coordinating outfits somehow bringing all of New York together over a dog and managing to win a show they dropped out of, is utter claptrap.
The biggest problem are the Girls themselves. They're spoiled, obnoxious poor little rich brats who constantly whine and shriek over their rather petty problems. Chanel maxes out her mother's credit card and won't give her boyfriend a fair shake, Galleria makes fun of Dorinda's clothing and refuses to listen to the girls when they look interested in Jackal's proposal, Aqua is a germ phobic who won't even ride a cab, and Dorinda probably should have gotten out and taken that dance tour while she could and make real money. Dorinda is the only one who comes off as even remotely sympathetic, making it very hard to root for them like you're intended to.
The Big Finale: Even more than most DCOMs, this one is too silly and annoying for anyone outside of the appropriate 6 to 14 age range and those who grew up watching it on The Disney Channel.
Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, usually for under $10.
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