If you are reading this story, you can only be one of four people.  A brony/pegasister, a judgemental person who came here only to get triggered, a concerned parent, or a person who is just genuinely curious to see if “My Little Pony The Movie” is good or not. Even if you are not a super fan or have a younger sibling who enjoys the show, after seeing this movie, I can safely say you will not have a massive headache from this film. The movie is engaging, visually pleasing, and the cast of characters is fun enough that you might even get some enjoyment out of it.

When watching a movie about pastel-colored horses, most people would not expect an extremely deep story. Thankfully, this movie does not try to over complicate things. Yet, the events that unfold are still thought-provoking. Simply put, “Twilight Sparkle” and her friends have to go out on a quest to save their home from being enslaved by a powerful unicorn named “Tempest”. Despite its simplicity, it is the how the adventure plays out that makes it interesting. There is an element of mystery because the ponies are only given small hints as to what, or who can help them take back their land. It helps keep up the suspense and reminds the audience that there is still a huge threat. Since the movie is decently paced, and never stays in one spot or location for too long, you will not be bored very easily. The show has always had trouble with not fleshing out concepts like backstories and world building. So, the only real fault of the plot is introducing so many new powers characters, and places without having enough time to go in depth and explain them.

For a long time, I thought 2D animation was gone forever. At least for animated movies. Yet, here we are with a movie that not only brings back 2D animation but also uses it in a way that makes this movie one of a kind. Everything from the character designs to the background and scenery looks like it should be part of a painting, especially during the catchy, and emotional musical numbers. It is a huge step up in quality from the television show, and all the scenes look natural, even with the new style.

Even with all the story elements and stunning visuals, the best part of the movie by far is the characters. Each character, good or evil, has charm and develops throughout the film. Particularly, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Tempest and Pinkie Pie were on point. The way the characters interact and show different sides of their personalities is very well done, especially in the latter parts of the film. This allows the characters to establish who they are without being dull or predictable. This might bother some fans of the show because they already know the characters by heart, but this aspect was necessary in order to make unexpected interactions more meaningful. I’d be lying if I said that it wasn’t overkilled at some points, with the dialogue being forced to show their traits. Yet, it never took away from the story too much and supports the message of how friends are not perfect. This movie does not take the easy way out like other kids movies because the characters get hurt, and sacrifices are made to reach their happy ending.

Overall, despite its overly packed plot eccenteric characters, “My Little Pony The Movie” is still a very fun and heartwarming film. It managed not to fall into many kid movie tropes, and be watchable for more than just the target audience. So, I give this movie a 8.3 out of 10. Here’s hoping more people will give this movie a try. It isn’t just sunshine and rainbows.