As with all of my reviews, this will contain spoilers. Those of you who have not seen the movie yet, you have been warned.
The premise of this film is that the students of Canterlot High are getting ready to participate in the annual "Friendship Games", a sports competition between them and their long-time rivals, the students of Crystal Prep Academy. However, things become complicated when they discover that one of the members of the opposing team is their world's version of Twilight Sparkle, who has been investigating all the magical goings on at Canterlot High.
So, this is actually a first for the Equestria Girls franchise as we actually have a film that takes place DURING an ongoing season of MLP episodes, rather than in-between seasons like the last two have been. That's not exactly a criticism, but it is an interesting decision for them to have made. As for the film itself, once more we have them making a premise out of what would have been common fare for other high-school type movies, that of a sports contest. It's something all of the movies have done so far, taking a high school movie trope and adding magic and craziness to it. But, much like those other films, that at least made it interesting to watch, which is more than I can say for a lot of the ACTUAL high school movies I've seen in my time. In addition to this, it's also the first time that we get an EG film that doesn't require anyone from the Equestria?s side of things to come over and help, so, with the exception of Sunset Shimmer, this is an entirely human-centric story, which is an interesting road, as it shows that intriguing stuff is going to happen to that place with or without the involvement of the ponies.
The idea of having Twilight be on the opposing team is an interesting one, as it puts her in the role of a "kind of" antagonist, going against the other main characters that we've come to know. In many ways, this version of Twilight is pretty much the kind of person that the pony version was at the start of MLP, very intelligent and willing to do what she needs to, and yet finding it very difficult to make friends or really socialise all that much. She's very much the heart of this story, despite only being introduced in earnest in this movie. At some point in our own school lives, I'm sure we've each been in her position, finding it difficult to make friends from our fellow classmates. It's the kind of thing that made the pony Twilight such an engaging character at the start of the franchise, and a lot of that is preserved here in this human version. Plus, having her be interested in all of the magical goings on of Canterlot High does make an effective point of showing how much the magical stuff of the last two movies has had a ripple effect on their world, intentionally or not. After all, an entirely new world has been exposed to these human characters, and that's not the kind of things that's just going to be forgotten because the credits roll. In addition, her change at the end, becoming effectively a mirror for what Sunset Shimmer USED to be, provided great development for that latter character, especially since it was so strange seeing Twilight as a full on villain, even if it was only for about a minute or so.
As for the other characters, the regulars of the five main humans all seem as endearing and funny as they always are, and their character interactions with one another are just as engaging and interesting to watch as Ever. Sunset Shimmer, now having fully grown into an accepted character in the school, now strikes me as very much the leader of this group, taking the place of the original Twilight as their go-to person for helping with the big problems. You really do feel like they?ve grown closer as a group, and seeing Sunset struggle with her new role throughout the film, as well as her occasional lapses into her former angry self, are traits that continue to help me love her as a character. On top of that, I like the situation they were put in with regards to the revelation of the human Twilight being on the other team. You really do feel like they're struggling with what they have to do here. After all, they have to do well in the Games, but at the same time, they're doing it against someone they've known as their friend, even if it's not exactly the same person. It's a dilemma to be sure, and one that provides an interesting conflict for the overall story. Having them all become friends at the end seemed very reminiscent of the start of MLP, wherein that Twilight was brought into the fold thanks to the efforts of the other five ponies, so seeing it here worked well, at least to me.
If I had to cite one major failing of the film, it's the antagonists. The students of Crystal Prep just didn't hold a candle to the villains of the last film, the Sirens. The latter were entertaining, menacing, had distinct and memorable personalities, and were able to bring a real presence to the film. By contrast, the students of Crystal Prep just came across as a generic rival school team. There may have been a few stand-out moments for a few of them, but even now, writing this review, I couldn?t remember a single one of their names or even what traits set most of them apart. And that's a big flaw in any film. If the antagonists going against your heroes don't seem all that memorable or intimidating, the film is going to suffer for it. Now, I realise that these kids aren't actually VILLAINS per se, since, at the end of the day, they're just a bunch of kids trying to win at sports. They're not doing anything evil like trying to take over the world or control people's minds or anything, like what happened in the last two films, so I guess I can cut them some slack in that department. Plus, they did pretty much "come over to the light side" by the end, so I suppose it's only fair to forgive any meanness they may have had through the film.
However, for all the weaknesses that the Shadowbolts may have as antagonists, the film more than makes up for it with the presence of the Crystal Prep headmistress. This character, while at first having little going for her except a kind of evil stepmother vibe, does, over the course of the film, become a more insidious character than I would have expected. At the start, she just seems like a generic rival principal, someone to lord it over her students and seem incredibly uptight. However, as the film goes on, especially towards the end, she's revealed more and more as someone who is utterly obsessed in winning. So great is her need to out-do Canterlot High, that she knowingly takes massive risks that may well put her own students at risk, all to maintain her own record and image. That is an incredibly bitter trait for a character to have, even an antagonist, and I think the reason for this is that we've all known someone like this. In our lives, I'm sure we've all come across some authority figure who wanted victory only for themselves, even if it put us in a bad situation. That disregard makes her a far more imposing presence in the film that, while still not as good as the Sirens in my eyes, nevertheless gives the film a foe to be reckoned with.
When it comes to humour, there's a lot to talk about. Twilight's awkwardness provided a few moments of genuine comedy for me, even though it was often offset with how uncomfortable I knew such real-life situations could be for high school students. The interactions with the rest of the main characters often provided a few chuckles, and, as you might expect, the lion's share of the outright funny moments were from Pinkie Pie. I'm not entirely sure why, but this human version of Pinkie seems to be somewhat funnier than the pony version to me. Best guess, it's largely because it's stranger seeing that kind of behaviour from what is supposed to be a human character, rather than a cartoon pony. In addition to this, there were also quite amusing moments in the animation, especially at times when characters were frustrated, which led to some great and funny work on their facial expressions. However, much like the other EG films, and even the two-parter episodes of MLP, humour is not the main point of this story, but rather the drama and character moments. As such, I'm fine with the general humour of the story, even at those points where it seemed lacking compared to that of funnier stories.
Time to talk about songs now, and here, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say that, overall, I think they were something of a downgrade. That's not to say that the songs were bad in any way, far from it. The signers did their jobs well, they were often quite uplifting in nature and I never found myself outright disliking any of them. However, as we all know, the last movie WAS based entirely around music and songs, and as such, the songs they created for it were especially memorable and interesting to listen to. By comparison, the songs in this movie, though sung well, never really struck that same chord for me. That is, with the exception of Twilight's solo number, "What more is out there". Her voice actress really does a great job of showing it to be a heartfelt moment for the character, and I've always had a soft spot for emotional solo songs like this whenever they turn up in the show. It was well sung, it was memorable, and it was emotional in a way that many of the other songs of the film just couldn't achieve. In addition to that, we also got a great villain number, "Unleash the Magic", which had a wonderfully oppressive and sinister vibe to it, especially since it's basically a twisted version of what's supposed to be an uplifting pep talk. However, despite the high quality of those song, the overall truth of the matter is that, to me, the numbers in this film haven't been able to match the heights set by the last one.
As for the lesson of the story, this film, much like all of the EG films we've seen so far, doesn't really seem to have an overt moral to give us like most of the regular MLP episodes. That's not to say that there isn't some kind of lesson here, because there is, as we have the usual "you can be friends with anyone" stuff that we've had over not only the last two movies but also a lot of the weekly episodes. However, do not take this to mean that I think that it's a bad lesson exactly, as it actually works rather well, given how much we all know how difficult such a way of thinking can be applied to high school. Having said that, I wouldn't really mind if the story didn't have a lesson to give us, as while I'm happy that MLP likes to give good lessons, there are times when there's enough to the story for me to be satisfied even if there isn't one.
So, how did the movie fare overall? Well, I can honestly say that I liked it a great deal. I enjoyed seeing these characters and this world again, I felt that the introduction of a new Twilight Sparkle brought an interesting element to the mix, the animation on the human characters continues to get impressive with every outing and, overall, the film just had a pleasant feel to it. There were one or two flaws to it though. As I said, the songs and the antagonists didn't strike me as all that special, with one or two aforementioned exceptions, so that was clearly a downside for the story. But, even in spite of that, the film still managed to entertain me a great deal. Now, obviously there's the question of whether it was "better" than the last two films, which is difficult for me to answer. I'll say right now that I think it's better than the first EG film, but as for Rainbow Rocks? That's a harder one to answer. Only time will tell if I think one is better than the other, but as for right now, my feelings on this film is that it was AS good as Rainbow Rocks, but only just. So, yeah, I enjoyed the film a great deal and I very much hope that this is not the last we'll be seeing of this world or its characters. Because while I may have been sceptical of EG when it first came out, I'm now very much a fan of it, and with three quality films under their belt already, I look forward to seeing what else Hasbro can give us. Check this film out, and I guarantee you won?t be disappointed.
The premise of this film is that the students of Canterlot High are getting ready to participate in the annual "Friendship Games", a sports competition between them and their long-time rivals, the students of Crystal Prep Academy. However, things become complicated when they discover that one of the members of the opposing team is their world's version of Twilight Sparkle, who has been investigating all the magical goings on at Canterlot High.
So, this is actually a first for the Equestria Girls franchise as we actually have a film that takes place DURING an ongoing season of MLP episodes, rather than in-between seasons like the last two have been. That's not exactly a criticism, but it is an interesting decision for them to have made. As for the film itself, once more we have them making a premise out of what would have been common fare for other high-school type movies, that of a sports contest. It's something all of the movies have done so far, taking a high school movie trope and adding magic and craziness to it. But, much like those other films, that at least made it interesting to watch, which is more than I can say for a lot of the ACTUAL high school movies I've seen in my time. In addition to this, it's also the first time that we get an EG film that doesn't require anyone from the Equestria?s side of things to come over and help, so, with the exception of Sunset Shimmer, this is an entirely human-centric story, which is an interesting road, as it shows that intriguing stuff is going to happen to that place with or without the involvement of the ponies.
The idea of having Twilight be on the opposing team is an interesting one, as it puts her in the role of a "kind of" antagonist, going against the other main characters that we've come to know. In many ways, this version of Twilight is pretty much the kind of person that the pony version was at the start of MLP, very intelligent and willing to do what she needs to, and yet finding it very difficult to make friends or really socialise all that much. She's very much the heart of this story, despite only being introduced in earnest in this movie. At some point in our own school lives, I'm sure we've each been in her position, finding it difficult to make friends from our fellow classmates. It's the kind of thing that made the pony Twilight such an engaging character at the start of the franchise, and a lot of that is preserved here in this human version. Plus, having her be interested in all of the magical goings on of Canterlot High does make an effective point of showing how much the magical stuff of the last two movies has had a ripple effect on their world, intentionally or not. After all, an entirely new world has been exposed to these human characters, and that's not the kind of things that's just going to be forgotten because the credits roll. In addition, her change at the end, becoming effectively a mirror for what Sunset Shimmer USED to be, provided great development for that latter character, especially since it was so strange seeing Twilight as a full on villain, even if it was only for about a minute or so.
As for the other characters, the regulars of the five main humans all seem as endearing and funny as they always are, and their character interactions with one another are just as engaging and interesting to watch as Ever. Sunset Shimmer, now having fully grown into an accepted character in the school, now strikes me as very much the leader of this group, taking the place of the original Twilight as their go-to person for helping with the big problems. You really do feel like they?ve grown closer as a group, and seeing Sunset struggle with her new role throughout the film, as well as her occasional lapses into her former angry self, are traits that continue to help me love her as a character. On top of that, I like the situation they were put in with regards to the revelation of the human Twilight being on the other team. You really do feel like they're struggling with what they have to do here. After all, they have to do well in the Games, but at the same time, they're doing it against someone they've known as their friend, even if it's not exactly the same person. It's a dilemma to be sure, and one that provides an interesting conflict for the overall story. Having them all become friends at the end seemed very reminiscent of the start of MLP, wherein that Twilight was brought into the fold thanks to the efforts of the other five ponies, so seeing it here worked well, at least to me.
If I had to cite one major failing of the film, it's the antagonists. The students of Crystal Prep just didn't hold a candle to the villains of the last film, the Sirens. The latter were entertaining, menacing, had distinct and memorable personalities, and were able to bring a real presence to the film. By contrast, the students of Crystal Prep just came across as a generic rival school team. There may have been a few stand-out moments for a few of them, but even now, writing this review, I couldn?t remember a single one of their names or even what traits set most of them apart. And that's a big flaw in any film. If the antagonists going against your heroes don't seem all that memorable or intimidating, the film is going to suffer for it. Now, I realise that these kids aren't actually VILLAINS per se, since, at the end of the day, they're just a bunch of kids trying to win at sports. They're not doing anything evil like trying to take over the world or control people's minds or anything, like what happened in the last two films, so I guess I can cut them some slack in that department. Plus, they did pretty much "come over to the light side" by the end, so I suppose it's only fair to forgive any meanness they may have had through the film.
However, for all the weaknesses that the Shadowbolts may have as antagonists, the film more than makes up for it with the presence of the Crystal Prep headmistress. This character, while at first having little going for her except a kind of evil stepmother vibe, does, over the course of the film, become a more insidious character than I would have expected. At the start, she just seems like a generic rival principal, someone to lord it over her students and seem incredibly uptight. However, as the film goes on, especially towards the end, she's revealed more and more as someone who is utterly obsessed in winning. So great is her need to out-do Canterlot High, that she knowingly takes massive risks that may well put her own students at risk, all to maintain her own record and image. That is an incredibly bitter trait for a character to have, even an antagonist, and I think the reason for this is that we've all known someone like this. In our lives, I'm sure we've all come across some authority figure who wanted victory only for themselves, even if it put us in a bad situation. That disregard makes her a far more imposing presence in the film that, while still not as good as the Sirens in my eyes, nevertheless gives the film a foe to be reckoned with.
When it comes to humour, there's a lot to talk about. Twilight's awkwardness provided a few moments of genuine comedy for me, even though it was often offset with how uncomfortable I knew such real-life situations could be for high school students. The interactions with the rest of the main characters often provided a few chuckles, and, as you might expect, the lion's share of the outright funny moments were from Pinkie Pie. I'm not entirely sure why, but this human version of Pinkie seems to be somewhat funnier than the pony version to me. Best guess, it's largely because it's stranger seeing that kind of behaviour from what is supposed to be a human character, rather than a cartoon pony. In addition to this, there were also quite amusing moments in the animation, especially at times when characters were frustrated, which led to some great and funny work on their facial expressions. However, much like the other EG films, and even the two-parter episodes of MLP, humour is not the main point of this story, but rather the drama and character moments. As such, I'm fine with the general humour of the story, even at those points where it seemed lacking compared to that of funnier stories.
Time to talk about songs now, and here, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say that, overall, I think they were something of a downgrade. That's not to say that the songs were bad in any way, far from it. The signers did their jobs well, they were often quite uplifting in nature and I never found myself outright disliking any of them. However, as we all know, the last movie WAS based entirely around music and songs, and as such, the songs they created for it were especially memorable and interesting to listen to. By comparison, the songs in this movie, though sung well, never really struck that same chord for me. That is, with the exception of Twilight's solo number, "What more is out there". Her voice actress really does a great job of showing it to be a heartfelt moment for the character, and I've always had a soft spot for emotional solo songs like this whenever they turn up in the show. It was well sung, it was memorable, and it was emotional in a way that many of the other songs of the film just couldn't achieve. In addition to that, we also got a great villain number, "Unleash the Magic", which had a wonderfully oppressive and sinister vibe to it, especially since it's basically a twisted version of what's supposed to be an uplifting pep talk. However, despite the high quality of those song, the overall truth of the matter is that, to me, the numbers in this film haven't been able to match the heights set by the last one.
As for the lesson of the story, this film, much like all of the EG films we've seen so far, doesn't really seem to have an overt moral to give us like most of the regular MLP episodes. That's not to say that there isn't some kind of lesson here, because there is, as we have the usual "you can be friends with anyone" stuff that we've had over not only the last two movies but also a lot of the weekly episodes. However, do not take this to mean that I think that it's a bad lesson exactly, as it actually works rather well, given how much we all know how difficult such a way of thinking can be applied to high school. Having said that, I wouldn't really mind if the story didn't have a lesson to give us, as while I'm happy that MLP likes to give good lessons, there are times when there's enough to the story for me to be satisfied even if there isn't one.
So, how did the movie fare overall? Well, I can honestly say that I liked it a great deal. I enjoyed seeing these characters and this world again, I felt that the introduction of a new Twilight Sparkle brought an interesting element to the mix, the animation on the human characters continues to get impressive with every outing and, overall, the film just had a pleasant feel to it. There were one or two flaws to it though. As I said, the songs and the antagonists didn't strike me as all that special, with one or two aforementioned exceptions, so that was clearly a downside for the story. But, even in spite of that, the film still managed to entertain me a great deal. Now, obviously there's the question of whether it was "better" than the last two films, which is difficult for me to answer. I'll say right now that I think it's better than the first EG film, but as for Rainbow Rocks? That's a harder one to answer. Only time will tell if I think one is better than the other, but as for right now, my feelings on this film is that it was AS good as Rainbow Rocks, but only just. So, yeah, I enjoyed the film a great deal and I very much hope that this is not the last we'll be seeing of this world or its characters. Because while I may have been sceptical of EG when it first came out, I'm now very much a fan of it, and with three quality films under their belt already, I look forward to seeing what else Hasbro can give us. Check this film out, and I guarantee you won?t be disappointed.
