Last night, I watched Equestria Girls... Yeah, yeah, I'm a brony, don't judge me.
On to the review: I don't like the concept because, well, let me put it this way: I enjoy MLP:FiM not only as a good, heartfelt and often humorous cartoon, but as a refreshing escape from reality... which is why I feel humans shouldn't have anything to do this with show.
I understand the concept of "trying to fit in" and "friendship is everywhere", but it could just as easily have been applied in a setting where humans don't exist.
I also feel it's just Hasbro's attempt to cash in on the "high-school-girl" bandwagon for obvious reasons and that the conflict of winning the title at the prom dance... is so tired and cliché that your better off watching a half-baked teen drama from last decade. If you want a good MODERN high school dramedy film, watch Easy A because it has more believable characters and shout-outs to classic films of that type.
Another point that annoys me is Spike as a dog... and on top of that, he STILL loves Rarity (as a human) in the human world... I don't like this because it's more creepy than charming in that it seems to promote bestiality, and for a movie aimed at kids, this is beyond disgraceful.
Which brings me to my next point, the film makes a point of saying that people should judge Twilight Sparkle by what she DOES instead of how she LOOKS, which wouldn't be a bad moral if all but one of the "humans" in this film weren't drawn with a thin physique and the girls wearing short, low-cut clothes. MLP:FiM would never teach kids that body shape and choice of clothes matter, they would teach you what's on the inside does, but this film's attempt at teaching you "it's what's on the inside that counts" is contradictory, to say the least.
On a side note, why are the Cutie Mark Crusaders bumped up to early high school age? On the show, they're like the equivalent of 8-10 year olds, so why are they like 14-15 years old here? Are the people at Hasbro a bunch of pedophiles or something? And unlike the show itself, the use of modern technology and even vague product placement for YouTube will just make it more dated as time goes by... I won't act like the show itself isn't "modern", but it'll be timeless compared to this.
But, to be fair, there WERE some good jokes at some points, the film DOES actually teach you about the true meaning of friendship and unlike the show itself, I actually came close to LIKING a couple of the songs in this film.
For me, the concept didn't work and clearly reeks of focus groups and bias in regards to its target audience. But somehow, some good writing, humour and toe-tapping music left a light at the end of the tunnel. I just don't think modernization is necessary for MLP:FiM, because of the aforementioned "escape from reality" bit. But at least it was better written than "Magical Mystery Cure" (a REAL MLP:FiM travesty).
Granted, it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, but this isn't a film I would've paid $10 for when it was in theatres. I just hope that Hasbro doesn't strike out again... And now, I'll wait patiently for Season 4 this fall.
On to the review: I don't like the concept because, well, let me put it this way: I enjoy MLP:FiM not only as a good, heartfelt and often humorous cartoon, but as a refreshing escape from reality... which is why I feel humans shouldn't have anything to do this with show.
I understand the concept of "trying to fit in" and "friendship is everywhere", but it could just as easily have been applied in a setting where humans don't exist.
I also feel it's just Hasbro's attempt to cash in on the "high-school-girl" bandwagon for obvious reasons and that the conflict of winning the title at the prom dance... is so tired and cliché that your better off watching a half-baked teen drama from last decade. If you want a good MODERN high school dramedy film, watch Easy A because it has more believable characters and shout-outs to classic films of that type.
Another point that annoys me is Spike as a dog... and on top of that, he STILL loves Rarity (as a human) in the human world... I don't like this because it's more creepy than charming in that it seems to promote bestiality, and for a movie aimed at kids, this is beyond disgraceful.
Which brings me to my next point, the film makes a point of saying that people should judge Twilight Sparkle by what she DOES instead of how she LOOKS, which wouldn't be a bad moral if all but one of the "humans" in this film weren't drawn with a thin physique and the girls wearing short, low-cut clothes. MLP:FiM would never teach kids that body shape and choice of clothes matter, they would teach you what's on the inside does, but this film's attempt at teaching you "it's what's on the inside that counts" is contradictory, to say the least.
On a side note, why are the Cutie Mark Crusaders bumped up to early high school age? On the show, they're like the equivalent of 8-10 year olds, so why are they like 14-15 years old here? Are the people at Hasbro a bunch of pedophiles or something? And unlike the show itself, the use of modern technology and even vague product placement for YouTube will just make it more dated as time goes by... I won't act like the show itself isn't "modern", but it'll be timeless compared to this.
But, to be fair, there WERE some good jokes at some points, the film DOES actually teach you about the true meaning of friendship and unlike the show itself, I actually came close to LIKING a couple of the songs in this film.
For me, the concept didn't work and clearly reeks of focus groups and bias in regards to its target audience. But somehow, some good writing, humour and toe-tapping music left a light at the end of the tunnel. I just don't think modernization is necessary for MLP:FiM, because of the aforementioned "escape from reality" bit. But at least it was better written than "Magical Mystery Cure" (a REAL MLP:FiM travesty).
Granted, it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, but this isn't a film I would've paid $10 for when it was in theatres. I just hope that Hasbro doesn't strike out again... And now, I'll wait patiently for Season 4 this fall.