The Cheetah Girls

From the Disney Channel comes a TV movie adaptation of Deborah Gregory's -Cheetah Girls book series. It's the continuing adventures of a smart, sassy singing group as they make their way in the pop music world with nothing but their wits and musical chops to guide them. Along the way, they live a little, rock a little, and learn a lot. That's pretty much the story line for the onscreen version of this junior girl power romp, which features Raven Symone of Disney's That's So Raven! as Galleria; 3LW's Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams as Chanel and Aquanette, respectively; and actress Sabrina Bryan as Dorinda. The quartet performs four songs on The Cheetah Girls soundtrack, including their theme song and a cut called -- no surprise here -- "Girl Power." Musically, it's cookie-cutter pop-dance material spiced with some light urban touches, akin to third- and fourth-tier acts like Willa Ford or Eden's Crush. This makes sense, since it was produced by Ray Cham, a studio whiz who's worked with Crush and hopefuls like Vi3. The Cheetah Girls is fleshed out with a few likeable, if forgettable, tunes that further the stick-to-itiveness vibe of the film. Of these, the best is the fizzy, Go-Go's-ish "Breakthrough" performed by the mysterious Hope 7. There's no denying the positivity that guides The Cheetah Girls concept. It's just too bad that the group's sound is so devoid of any originality. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide