Disclamer: Let all you all know the movie has been leaked in HQ, but I will NOT  share the link. If you find it, that’s fine. However, I want you guys to see it in theaters and support it. The only reason I saw the leak is because I don't live anywhere near a theater.  Now onto the review

This is the  first 2D animated film since Princess and the Frog to say there was hype around the film is an understatement. On top of that, this is MLP's  first movie since the 80s and that MLP needs to show its better side to a general movie audience  more so than a TV audience. Plus the animated films this  year ranged from crappy to good. So where does this film lie in that spectrum? Well, I'm going  to break down the good and bad.

The Bad

Okay, let's rip off the band-aid first and get the bad over with. Firstly, the side characters range from okay to cringeworthy. Let's start within show characters first. The princess, besides Twilight, is terrible in this film and hardly have any screen time. Which was my biggest fear once they how many characters there will be in the film. So if you're Luna or Celestia fan and hope they have a bad ass moment, give up now, they don't. Now with the new one-shot characters. One character that very cringey is Grubber. He's line raged from okay funny to trying to hipe with kids funny. The hip time of humor is forced with his lines that almost cringey. Now lets about Storm King. Both the film and marketing make him be the main villain, he is not; I'll leave it at that.

Now my biggest grip of the film is the pacing. Its feel rushed, which I called by the way once the running time was announced. To those saying "What did you expect in the 90-minute film?" The Spongebob Film was around the same time limit, and it was well paced. I felt at times that there could have been the scene of quiet thinking or character introducing themselves to each other.

Spongebob the Movie also had quite moments from movie to take breaks from adventures to quiet down. Sadly, however, the  MLP doesn't have that. As  Nostalgia Critic put it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkf4nYnFZRU&t=16s

Yeah, the movie never shut ups. Yeah, there a couple moments the film is quiet, but they happen so rarely and last less  than a minute.The movie is afraid that if its   quiet   for one moment it will lose the attention of the audience .

So if the pacing and if the movie more than a minute of quiet time to take a break. I would very minor grips with the film , and I would complain about minor things.

The Good

So far, I have made the film look bad,but that just get the harshness out of the way without ending this on a poor now. Now for good, which there is plenty to talk about.

Firstly, the animation and settings are beautiful. I hope the Toom Boom style is used in the future of MLP:FiM or  the next generation of MLP. I love ToomBoom style because it's very popping and the facial animations are really good. There is another animation styled used in the film, but I forgot what's called, but that's also well done. The setting is also breathtaking. There were times in the film where I was saying, "Wow I can see that in Samurai Jack or a Disney film." So huge kudos to the artists in this film, you went huge and delivered.

Secondly, most characters in the film, they are handled very well. Each of the Mane Six has their own screen time and moments to shine, even if brief.  However, this is Twilight's story, and her arch is very well done, and I felt every emotion she felt throughout the film. The main villain, Tempest, is also very well done. She's very sympathetic villain, and her backstory is very well done. In my opinion, Tempest is what Starlight should have been,  a compelling villain with a tragic past. Now the side characters. Each one, even if their stories is brief, do leave a lasting impression. Capper reminds of Grunkle Stan and Han Solo.The pirates are also well handled, and I felt like they were a crew. Princess Skystar and the rest of the seaponies are also very handled and have a nice twist to their lore. I just loved Skystar's innocence and  her bouncing attitude. Spike also get also a really awesome moment to shine in the film.  So characterization is spot on in the film, well done.

Some other things worth noting. Firstly, is that two songs left an impression on me. "We Got This" is is very chancy and song and the visuals to support the film with some awesome and funny cameos. Secondly is the villain song from Tempest which reminded me of Disney villain songs like "Friends From the Other Side" and "Is Prepared." Once a metal version of that song is made, I'm putting it  on my phone and listening to it when I exercise. The comedy is also, for the most part, very handle from the main cast and side characters.  The story and theme are also very well done and loved that MLP tackled that issue at last. I won't spoil because it will spoil the entire film.

The animation style, which I'll prize up and down along with the setting .  The characters, even the one-shot ones from, are all very good and  Tempest is a very good villain. They all leave a rather good impression on me.

Overall

Even though the film is leaked online, I still highly encourage you all to see the movie in theaters and support it because it is good. Yes, the film pacing and it never ever shutting up is a big problem for the film. However, the animation , the story, and other things are making the film worth seeing.  Again the only reason I saw the leak is that the nearest theater is too far for me and I don't have the money or time to see it in theaters.

Sadly, I don't think this  going be the animated film of the year because of the problems I have mentioned. I was hoping that MLP film will be as rememberable  as much as  the Spongebob the  Movie, but it isn't. There are rememberable songs, but not as good as "Goofy Gobber Rock." That doesn't mean it's bad, there good things worth noting . The animation and characters are awesome along with the  villain too. I Just don't see this film being quoted all that much

Grade

78/100

C+