Of all the shows that made me the animation fan I am today, probably one of the most personally influential was “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”. I got into the show just after season 3 finished airing, casually watching a few eps as I saw them air on the Hub Network (RIP), and before I knew it I was going through all the episodes I could, engaging in series discussion on the likes of Toonzone and Equestria Daily, admiring various fan projects, fanart, and the like… it was easily the most I’ve ever engaged with a fanbase up until that point, and arguably since.
In fact, I was so engrossed right off the bat I ended up going out of my way to watch the first Equestria Girls film in theaters. Don’t feel too bad, I also saw “Rainbow Rocks” in theaters. And while in both cases, it was pretty satisfying to see these characters on the big screen (albeit in a compromised fashion), I and many other fans were waiting for Hasbro to just rip the band-aid off and give us a movie not just starring the ponies themselves, but with the full cinematic treatment. And in October 2014, that wish became a reality with this announcement published by Variety. Sure, we knew so little about it beyond a few people attached to it, but we knew they were going to deliver on something great.
I still remember the day the trailer dropped: June 28th, 2017. I was in my Summer college class, and everyone knew it was going to surface online any minute now. And then, around 8pm or so… it came. And man, was it worth the wait. Sure, not all of the animation looked right, but coming off the Flash animation of the show we’d been used to for 7 years… this looked so smooth, so colorful, and most of all… cinematic. As the months passed, so much more marketing material bombarded us. Footage and trailers, countless merchandise, some prequel comics, a freaking art book… the whole shabang. Which makes it all the more of a wonder that when the movie did finally premiere on October 6th, 2017, it barely made a dent. Not just in terms of the box office (which granted, did still turn in a decent profit from its rather low budget), but also the critical response. It was certainly far from terrible, but nowhere near the ceiling-breaker we were all hoping for.
And while most of the fans seemed content with that… I really wasn’t. Even before the movie was actually announced back in 2014, I was imagining how, with how much the show has shattered the stigma of little kid shows, especially on the girly side, a movie would freaking demolish it. So what went wrong? Why did it just come and go? Well, to help answer those questions, let’s take a look through the film itself and my own personal take on it, because believe me, I have a lot to comment on.
The story isn’t exactly breaking any new ground, especially not for Friendship is Magic. There’s a big Festival of Friendship in the City of Canterlot when they’re under attack by the Storm King and his top commander, Tempest Shadow, who quickly seizes the city and captured all the Princesses. That is, except Twilight Sparkle, who manages a getaway with her friends and takes it upon herself to find the Queen of the Hippogriffs, who is said will help them restore order to the land. Cue a few varied set pieces, some characters of both the suspicious and helpful variety, and a character betrayal that causes a strain on their friendship. Which of course leads to everyone having to make things right and a big final showdown taking place.
You’ve all seen a story like this, and it’s definitely a common plot for many TV-to-film cartoon adaptations. And it doesn’t help that a number of the plot beats feel weird in how they're executed. For example, most of the journey is meant to lead our heroes to the lair of the Hippogriffs, and the set pieces we encounter are supposed to progress the trip. But when they actually get there, not only does it turn out they all went into hiding as Seaponies, but it mostly plays out as just another set piece and it almost seems less time is spent there than the others. They get the toy commercial and obligatory musical number in, but it ends just as it starts to pick up traction, and it feels like a fairly underwhelming payoff since it took many scenes to get here.
However, as tired of this formula may seem, they did decide on this for a reason. It’s important to push the scope and scale beyond what the show offered in order to interest the fans, but also make it a decent starting point to newcomers. To name a good point of comparison, around this time the series had the seventh season finale “Shadow Play”, which was full of lore and mystery, and many fans felt that would’ve made a better movie. Problem is, that required so much world-building and context to really get into - particularly with the various Pillars of Equestria that had been built up across that season - so it wouldn’t have translated as well in wide-release movie form. Sure, they probably could’ve found a more original approach for this with enough time and thought, but it’s not like the show is any stranger to tried-and-true formulas.
Speaking of tried-and-true, the characters we focus on definitely stick to their traditional personas, with a few unfortunate compromises. Nothing’s wrong with how they’re portrayed at all, but apart from Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie, it feels like the rest of the Mane Six - while they definitely each get some shining moments - often get a little ‘too’ stuck in their archetype for their own good. Not just in regards to their dialogue, but there’s a distinct lack of character development between most of them, which works fine in this context but for their big magnum opus, can leave people coming out disappointed. And even most of the depth they give Pinkie seems to stem from the fact she ends up taking charge of the group when Twilight isn't doing it, which I imagine is just because she's the most marketable character.
And I think a huge part of why they fell into this trap in the first place is because, unfortunately, the film struggles with actually giving some of them focus. Rarity helps patch up Capper’s clothes, which leads to him diverting Tempest off their path for a while. Rainbow Dash encourages the pirates to regain their spirit. Pinkie Pie lends her joy to Skystar, and tells Twilight off after they get pushed away. So far, so good. But then you realize, because of the rule of three they follow, Applejack and Fluttershy just don’t contribute much of note. They definitely get some punches in during the climax, and Fluttershy gets one absolute gold scene where she puts a trooper through therapy. But that’s really about it.
And beyond the Mane Six, even though the plot isn’t exactly trying to be more than the journey and battle it is, there is something inherently wrong about characters like the Cutie Mark Crusaders getting nothing more than a couple voiceless cameos, and the Princesses' role being next to useless (though the latter is rather on-brand...). They try to compensate for this by packing as many cameos as possible at the beginning, but that only fixes so much.
The new characters they meet on their journey fare slightly better, but you still find yourself wanting more. Capper is the cunning type who tries to lead our heroes into being bought for slavery, only to change his tune thanks to Rarity’s kindness, a pretty simple but nice character arc. The parrot pirates are adventurers who fell victim to the Storm King’s command and lost their spirits with them; there’s surprisingly little to them, they’re probably the most underdeveloped of the whole cast. And with the seaponies, Princess Skystar is very bubbly but also very lonely, literally making up her friends out of shells, and has to go against authority to do what’s right for her new friends, while Queen Novo is the stern authority figure who wants to strictly keep on the down-low, but is able to see Skystar’s side when the time is right. It’s a pretty nice and effective dynamic, but again, we don’t get a lot of time with them, especially the end where the payoff ends up being a one-off gag.
And then you have the villains. Tempest Shadow is easily the breakout of the film for dang good reason. She’s a very tragic figure, having permanently broken her horn due to a bad childhood accident, and was cast aside due to her now-uncontrollable magic. Thus, she joins forces with the Storm King with the promise that if she does his bidding, he can make her whole again. But over time, it dawns on her that what she was chasing wasn’t what she actually needed all along. It’s a standard ‘sympathetic villain’ journey, but executed really damn well in my opinion. The explosive bursts of magic give her such a threatening aura every time she’s on screen, helped further by Emily Blunt’s very dignified, very domineering performance, and they always make sure to give her a number of insecure moments when the time calls for it, which especially comes across in the animation. Even when she’s saying lines that sound ridiculous, she still comes across as frightening thanks to how she’s voiced and animated.
But of course, we gotta talk about the Storm King himself. Most people, fans and critics alike, seem to agree that he was rather underwhelming as a big villain, since he isn’t around for that much of the action and when he is there, he is a lot more goofy than you’d expect from his widespread effect on the lands. And while I see where they’re coming from, and do wish they gave him more intimidating moments, I disagree with this stance. Because, when you think about it… is he really supposed to play that big a role to begin with? The franchise was always much more about the character dynamics and development, and the Storm King’s main role seems to be to forward Tempest’s. In fact, he reminds me a lot of the Emperor’s role in the original Star Wars trilogy, right down to his lightning attacks and only appearing by a video call until the third act. And considering how this film does sprinkle in a few references to other properties, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a deliberate reference.
Besides, it’s not like he doesn’t carry any threatening presence. When I saw this in a theater with actual families and little kids in the audience, the parts where he would suddenly shout roared through the speakers in a way that I’m sure gave them a bit of a scare in the moment. So yeah, while he’s not the best, I actually kinda appreciate what he represents. Also, mention must be made that he’s a bit of a business CEO, with the pirates having to ship out his merchandising and him talking about trademarks. This doesn’t really add anything to his role in the film, it’s just kind of amusing to see in a movie that’s very openly a toy commercial. And finally, there's Grubber, who is pretty much just there to provide comic relief to the darker scenes. It’s not the most effective thing, and he has more misses than hits, but I understand the need to have someone work off Tempest and rile her up.
I guess I should also comment on how well it works as an extension of the show, since even though it is officially part of the G4 canon, it’s often listed and marketed as its own entity. Writing-wise, it tries to be more heavy and dramatic than even some of the more intense episodes of the series, but one of the show’s main aces in the hole - the character interactions and dialogue - unfortunately doesn’t fare as well. And don’t get me wrong, sometimes it does manage to hit the mark really well, but other times it feels like the characters are just kind of saying inconsequential stuff that isn’t even really meant to be funny. It’s like padding out the exchanges so they don’t feel like background filler. Also there’s a few lines that seem… bizarrely out of place for the brand.
Also, its clear it taking place between seasons 7 and 8 was decided at the eleventh hour. See, naturally a film script takes much longer to write and longer to go through production than that of a TV show, and the script was written sometime in 2015 - around the time season 5 was airing. This is why Starlight Glimmer only gets a brief cameo in the film. However, many fans who watched this film noted the lack of possible allies like the Changelings and Pillars that were introduced in the show by the film’s release that the script couldn’t have possibly accounted for. This makes its direct placement in the timeline a mistake in my opinion, because if you watched the film on its own, it really could’ve taken place anytime after season 5, and even earlier if you don’t count cameos. This issue doesn’t exist if you watch it with that mentality, but unfortunately the series had to confirm this fact at the very start of season 8, putting it in a rather awkward position continuity-wise, and it also elevates the challenge in getting newcomers engaged.
But see, even though the stuff with the Storm King and the invasion is what happens over the course of the film, it’s not actually the focus and main priority of the film. It's actually about the character arc of Twilight Sparkle. For much of it, she feels such heavy pressure and determination to not only get the Festival of Friendship just right, but to come to Canterlot’s rescue by any means she can. She takes all this incredibly seriously too, and gets on her friends’ cases when they goof around even in the face of danger, and for the most part she’s acting within reason. The turning point however, comes after they’re denied access to the magic, transforming pearl in Seaquestria and she’s suddenly in favor of Pinkie and the rest having fun with Skystar, which it turned out was just a means to leave the pearl open for her to steal. This leads to them getting caught just as Queen Novo was about to help them out, which finally culminates in the polarizing scene where Twilight lashes out: "Well, maybe I would've been better off without friends like you!"
Many people, fans and critics alike, didn’t like how this felt like a typical ‘second act breakup’ many of these family films tend to have. But I respectfully disagree with their criticisms. In fact, it’s the kind of conflict I always wanted to see happen in a “Friendship is Magic” movie. Not only does it put the main thesis of the show to a serious test, but it was subtly built up over time, as her stress established from the beginning makes her forgets what she’s Princess of (which Celestia points out to her). Sure, in many of the action scenes it feels like she’s pulling the entire team’s weight, but the rest forming bonds with the new characters prove to leave positive effects of their own, most notably joining forces to help save the day. Both characters are right and wrong in their own ways, and it’s not a misunderstanding or anything. Plus, it was by no means meant to be an end to their friendship; all that’s said is “I just can't talk to you right now” and just a couple scenes later, they show zero hesitance in saving her from captivity. Not to mention how incredibly well it's acted from both Tara Strong and especially Andrea Libman.
It’s a very believable conflict, and I think it’s played up just dramatically enough to leave a strong impact while not feeling dragged out. And I believe it's the exact character journey a film about a show like this should ultimately be about. It's not particularly deep, and it's no less predictable than the rest of the plot, but I think they really knew how to hit all the emotional beats it needed to and to convey both the progression and payoff without spoonfeeding everything to the young ones. I actually consider it to be the film's big ace in the hole storytelling-wise, even if you aren't likely to pick up on it in first viewing.
To name some more positives… hoo boy, is the soundtrack for this film pleasant to the ear. The Leo-award winning composer from the series, Daniel Ingram, was able to bring his talents to a live orchestra for the first time with this franchise. And while it’s not the most amazing nor most memorable soundtrack you’ll hear in an animated film, the effort truly pays off in spades. So many of the settings are made all the more immersive thanks purely to the tracks backing them up, like when we first see the Seaponies’ hideout, and several more scenes mostly devoid of dialogue are some of the most ominous and emotional of the film, such as when the Storm King’s army and Tempest first enter the picture. They’re all implemented really well too, with no tracks seeming out of place or unwarranted (with one exception I’ll touch on later). It’s one of those soundtracks I greatly recommend you pick up on its own if you’re into that.
But of course, you gotta have songs to go along with your soundtrack, and they’re… not my favorite, to be honest. They’re certainly enjoyable, and are great to listen to, but there’s always something a little ‘off’ about them. Like, compared to some of the show’s musical masterpieces, these just don’t seem as memorable by comparison, and that may be because they feel more like they’re there to fit a quota than a natural inclusion.
To start with, there's “We Got This Together”, the ensemble piece at the beginning meant to establish everyone’s roles. Good rhythm and a nice way to settle everyone in. “I’m the Friend You Need”, which is Capper manipulating the ponies into thinking he’s on their side and protecting them from harm. Definitely the more smooth, low-key song of the batch, and Taye Diggs carries it quite well - albeit also the one I always end up remembering the least. "Time to Be Awesome", with Rainbow Dash encouraging the pirates to get their groove back. Probably the best in progressing the story, even if a lot of what we see within it can feel underdeveloped. And “One Small Thing”, the seaponies’ upbeat song where Pinkie and friends try to perk up the lonely Skystar. Great message, even if it feels a little incidental in the grand schemes of things.
There’s a pop song performed at the end by Sia... moving on. And I guess the “We Got the Beat” cover at the beginning counts too, which… isn’t awful, but it really puts the film off to a lame start. I wouldn’t be surprised if this soured a few people unfamiliar with the show, and guess what, this wasn’t what was originally intended to go here. Tell me, what sell the show’s environment more: this… or this? Yeah, I thought so.
But of course, you gotta have a villain song, so in comes "Open Up Your Eyes", and man is this easily the best number of the film. It’s about Tempest Shadow convincing Twilight about the futility of friendship and how she herself has been let down by it. Within this, is a beautifully stylized flashback sequence that is probably the best section of the whole film in my opinion. It doesn’t overexplain anything, it just lets the visuals tell the story, and it even takes a quiet break in the middle that lets the emotions settle in, uninterrupted. This is the kind of storytelling I have all the respect for, and kudos to the filmmakers for throwing this in. Combine all that with Emily Blunt's fantastic performance, along with it being the most visually clever of the numbers, and you’ve got one truly touching tune that has lived on for dang good reason.
Now, I think what most people can agree stands out about the film is the animation, done with Toonboom Harmony rather than Adobe Flash. It’s by no means mind-blowing compared to the more indie studios making 2D theatrical films at the time, but it is a definite upgrade from the show in every respect. The extra detail in the designs and expressions can take getting used to, but it allows for much more of an emotional punch during some of the dialogue-heavy scenes when the characters run through a gambut of emotions, and the visual effects can look pretty gorgeous at times. Just look at that Sonic Rainboom, for example. And of course, the animation itself can be smooth as butter sometimes, which again really makes the immersion and emotion all the more impactful.
Unfortunately, this ended up being the only fully animated project Allspark Pictures, Hasbro’s studio best known for providing the CG in Michael Bay’s Transformers saga, ended up producing, as they ended up closing a few years later. Which is a real shame, it showed such great potential right out the gate and it could’ve been a refreshing change of pace from the Hollywood 3D look. But hey, at least they did ultimately get a chance to shine on their own.
So overall, I consider “My Little Pony: The Movie” a standard, but above-average film. It may rely heavily on tropes that don’t always work in the story’s favor, but it’s always backed up by clever character development, strong technicals, and general charm that I am just happy to be along for the ride, no matter how much I know where it’s actually going. It’s a movie I’m glad I managed to see in the theater, and I always have a good time when I choose to revisit it. It’s a real shame this film couldn’t seem to win over general family moviegoers, but the more I think critically, the more understandable this is. Most of the characters, while likable, don’t leave a particularly memorable impression with either their traits or screentime, even with a few standouts. And you’d have to read between the lines in the otherwise trope-heavy, sometimes clunky plot to really pick up on the screenwriters’ true intentions.
Much like the show itself, I suppose that even if it wasn’t for the girl show stigma, it simply wasn't going to appeal to everyone, but at least the hardworking team had the chance to deliver a magical experience unlike any other. And for that, it has my respect, and may the new generation carry a similar legacy to call its own.