The 1980s toy line and animated series comes to life in this children’s adventure which preaches togetherness above all
“My Little Pony: The Movie” centers on a group of cartoon ponies with names like Princess Skystar, Pinkie Pie and Fizzlepop Berrytwist and their efforts to throw a festival of friendship in the Kingdom of Equestria.
Given current world events, this festival of friendship could be read as a slam on the Trump administration’s supposedly cozy relationship with hostile foreign leaderships and the threat it poses to the nature of our democracy. Or it could simply be a celebration of animated ponies getting together and having fun. Hey look, there’s even a Sia pony!
It’s probably best not to read too much into this harmless children’s tale, based on the 1980s toy line and cartoon series and built to entertain girls between the ages of 4 and 8 (along with the occasional Brony, the name given to adult fans of My Little Pony). The animation won’t dazzle, although its traditional 2D style is a throwback in this age of 3D computer animation, and it fits the light charms of this friendly adventure.
Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s Princess of Friendship, is getting together details of her Friendship Fest when the nasty pony Tempest Shadow comes down and spoils the fun. She sends Twilight and her pals (including Applejack, probably the best pony, because of her Southern drawl and her ever-present cowboy hat) on a journey where they meet new friends, explore different worlds and sing songs of togetherness (including “We Got This Together” and “Time to be Awesome”).
“My Little Pony: The Movie” won’t disrupt the Best Animated Feature category at next year’s Oscars (despite any potential Brony protests), but for a message of friendship, you can do a lot worse.
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Rated PG for mild action
