I heard that the movie is very disappointing. Is that true?

[Firedog 320]

I went in with low exceptions.

 

I expected them to dull down the writing to make it easier to understand for kids.

I expected them to focus on new characters and spend most of the time in Seapony form. For toy sales, similar to Equestria Girls leaving pony form.

I expected it to be really over the top with explaining the plot, like in Equestria Girls.

_____________________________________________________________________

I thought it was really great! I give it a 9/10

[Thrond 3,263]

Well, I might as well add my two cents, since I'm apparently in the minority here: I honestly felt this movie was a huge disappointment. The plot is filled with underdeveloped characters, many events only happen because of illogical decision making from the mane six, and the humour is really poor. I found it weirdly soulless, as if much of its emotional centre was taken out in favour of new characters and action set pieces, and as a result a lot of it feels mostly formulaic. And I think people are overrating the art style, which has a lot of cheap 3D objects and overindulges in bleak browns, greys, and reds. 

[Princess Book Horse 352]

The movie was fantastic, I've already seen it twice! Nothing TOO groundbreaking, but amazing nonetheless.

It's even better if you watch it in theaters.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Princess Book Horse

[n1029 227]

Everyone's going to have their own feelings, but personally, yes, it was disappointing. 

[immblueversion 331]

On 10/9/2017 at 2:48 PM, PacificGreen said:

I haven't seen the movie personally (and am in no rush to see it- it's not that I don't want to, I'm just not as hyped up about it as most other fans), but going by reactions I've seen, its fans really seem to like it (while fairly criticizing some parts of it), while it's not doing so well with professional critics, as some have said here. The Rotten Tomatoes' consensus seems to support this.

Personally, I think we fans might be a little biased towards this film- don't get me wrong, I'm confident the movie is as great as many of you say, but remember that bias is inevitable. Some of it not really wrong, we're just more familiar with the setting and characters than the general audience- while professional critics are most likely going to be coming into this not knowing a thing about (or at most having a basic knowledge of) the show and the franchise, so they're going to have less to appreciate. 

While it's okay to refute professional opinions with your own opinions, I think we should keep this mind when addressing this dissonance of opinions. When I see this movie, I'll just be going in hoping for a great movie to add to the lore of FiM, respecting the viewpoints of those outside the fanbase, and just enjoying it from my perspective.

So how has the general audience (not fans, not pro critics) been reacting to this movie? I'm genuinely curious.

I sat next to a mother who was glued to her phone for the first 10 minutes or so. But then it started to pick up, and she started texting semi-frequently to not at all. In the end, she had the same reaction I've seen from other videos made by general audiences: cute and serviceable.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

The movie is going to be disappointing depending on a person's expectations, perspectives, and what have you. That said the overall feeling from the fanbase regarding the film looks to be positive, and I echo that. Really haven't felt that satisfied by an animated film since seeing Atlantis in theaters in 2001.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I thought the movie was going to be complete garbage, but it managed to get a 7/10 for me. If you somehow were expecting this thing to be a masterpiece (which I mean...really?) then yeah I suppose it could be disappointing. I enjoyed it well enough as a fan of pony, though it's by NO means flawless. Nor would it convince anyone to give the show a try who wasn't already sold on pastel ponies. 

[Babyyoshi309 1,829]

On 10/9/2017 at 10:08 PM, FattPat said:

I think it's really weird that people are saying the movie is geared more towards fans than general audiences. I got the exact opposite impression. The movie doesn't use much material from the show other than the main six. It feels like the plot was specifically written with that goal in mind since it involves them journeying to new places, meeting new characters, and dealing with new villains. The most fans get are a few cameos from secondary characters.

I found it disappointing for that reason. Since it's based on a TV show I would have vastly preferred that it use more of its unique material and prioritize the fans who are the main audience. We ended up with a very isolated adventure that, with a few character changes, could have just been an original movie. And not a particularly compelling or interesting one.

But there are plenty of people who don't have a problem with this and enjoyed the movie just fine. I'd have preferred something more unique and creative. The season 7 finale got leaked and I found that to be far more interesting.

Did we watch different movies? 

[FattPat 13]

8 hours ago, Babyyoshi309 said:

Did we watch different movies? 

Maybe we did because that's what I saw.

[Hanazuki 10]

I had a blast watching it. It was cute. It was engaging. It was beautiful. It had ponies.

The movie personally didn't disappoint me at all! Then again I'm normally a very non-critical person, but it HAS become one of my favorite movies ever!

[Babyyoshi309 1,829]

*Edit: OOPS,  I already replied to this post. Just ignore this. 

Edited November 12, 2017 by Babyyoshi309

[Concerned Bystander 2,902]

I really enjoyed the film.  Yes, the animation was a rather different style to the cartoon but I think it looks great, and I don't feel that any of the spirit of the cartoon was lost, they ramped the animation up but didn't push it to the point where it felt disconnected from the universe we know and love.

The only fault I would pick it up for is that they tried to introduce too many new characters and locations in such a short run time, the result of this being that a lot of potentially interesting characters didn't get quite as much time in the limelight as they may have deserved.  That is however a minor quibble, and I will certainly be picking up the Blu-ray when it comes out.

Ignore the critics, ignore the reviews.  Moderate your expectations, see the film for yourself, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[Castle Bleck 19,334]

2 minutes ago, Concerned Bystander said:

Yes, the animation was a rather different style to the cartoon but I think it looks great, and I don't feel that any of the spirit of the cartoon was lost, they ramped the animation up but didn't push it to the point where it felt disconnected from the universe we know and love.

 

To me, it looked like something G5 (should G4 ever end) should try to emulate.

[KatonRyu 1,033]

That's of course a matter of taste, but I personally agree with a lot of that. I didn't like the art style much, the Big Bad was lame even though Tempest was actually really cool, and a lot of the film felt really rushed to me. There weren't any big mistakes with the characters themselves, but on the whole I'd call the plot rather unsatisfying; I really thought they would do a better job at it, though it's still an enjoyable movie with a few humorous moments in it.

[Jade Fire 7,059]

i liked it and it has a 90% positive review from viewers so i dont think it was a disappointment 

[heavens-champion 1,905]

Some people liked it, some people didn't like it. Some people who didn't like it probably had unreasonably high expectations. Some fans were expecting it to outdo Disney. Disney, as in the kings and queens of animation. specifically, they expected it to outdo Frozen.

[Nightfall Gloam 18,258]

I didn't mind it upon my first viewing, despite the terrible experience I had at the cinema.

But, later on, while I still like the movie, I seem to prefer to just listen to its soundtrack instead since it has such good music... 

[Earl Grey Ghost 446]

On 10/11/2017 at 8:19 PM, AlexanderThrond said:

Well, I might as well add my two cents, since I'm apparently in the minority here: I honestly felt this movie was a huge disappointment. The plot is filled with underdeveloped characters, many events only happen because of illogical decision making from the mane six, and the humour is really poor. I found it weirdly soulless, as if much of its emotional centre was taken out in favour of new characters and action set pieces, and as a result a lot of it feels mostly formulaic. And I think people are overrating the art style, which has a lot of cheap 3D objects and overindulges in bleak browns, greys, and reds. 

No, I agree with you. While  I was impressed with some of the animation upgrades, my biggest disappointment was the lack of character development or set up. We get no exposition on The Storm King, who he is, why is he a threat really, why should we care? Why is he evil? Where on earth did he come from? We don't know And the Prequel comic book doesn't tell us either, in fact it quite insultingly tells you it won't tell you anything about him. And I'm sorry, Tempest's reason for 'going bad' is a major overreaction. Her backstory was not sufficient for her actions. I was very disappointed. They had the opportunity to take risks, especially knowing they have a devoted older fanbase. It was overall, a cashgrab for more marketing. Not to mention the pace was all over the place, and did anyone else really feel that the Hippogriffs and the whole Seaponies thing was 'thrown together'? The whole scenery just felt like it should be in a different movie or an episode or two in the show. I mean, this movie, it felt like they tried to throw so many ideas and creatures, and storylines at you all at once to be like "LOOK HOW EXPANDED AND EPIC THIS IS! NEVER MIND IT MAKES NO SENSE! LOOK! SHINY!" and, it just...wasn't cohesive.

[Thrond 3,263]

1 hour ago, Momento Mori said:

No, I agree with you. While  I was impressed with some of the animation upgrades, my biggest disappointment was the lack of character development or set up. We get no exposition on The Storm King, who he is, why is he a threat really, why should we care? Why is he evil? Where on earth did he come from? We don't know And the Prequel comic book doesn't tell us either, in fact it quite insultingly tells you it won't tell you anything about him. And I'm sorry, Tempest's reason for 'going bad' is a major overreaction. Her backstory was not sufficient for her actions. I was very disappointed. They had the opportunity to take risks, especially knowing they have a devoted older fanbase. It was overall, a cashgrab for more marketing. Not to mention the pace was all over the place, and did anyone else really feel that the Hippogriffs and the whole Seaponies thing was 'thrown together'? The whole scenery just felt like it should be in a different movie or an episode or two in the show. I mean, this movie, it felt like they tried to throw so many ideas and creatures, and storylines at you all at once to be like "LOOK HOW EXPANDED AND EPIC THIS IS! NEVER MIND IT MAKES NO SENSE! LOOK! SHINY!" and, it just...wasn't cohesive.

It just hopped rapidly from scene to scene of shrill jabber, ugly action setpieces, and generic songs. I found it very tedious, and I have no idea how this thing was supposed to bring in new audiences.

[Ganondorf8 11,289]

It really depends on what kind of expectations you had prior to watching it. Granted, the movie isn't aiming to be the next big thing in terms of animated movies and it does have a lot of flaws that do lessen the experience, but it does have its merits that do make it worthwhile to watch. Me? I thought it was okay as the positives and negatives cancelled each other out.

[twilightsparkle3562 145]

I like the animation style and I love the characters. 

 

But, the story....where do I begin? 

 

I mean, the story could have been A LOT better than it already was, for one thing, tone down the tension such as Canterlot being occupied for starters.  Maybe have a badly injured hippogriff that managed to escape the Storm King's forces race into Canterlot and reveal what has happened.  To this end, the Princesses halt the Friendship Festival to investigate what is going on in Hippogriffia while Twilight and her friends go find additional help from other nearby kingdoms.  They then head to Hippogriffia to help the Hippogriffs with their kingdom being the one that is occupied by the Storm King's forces.

The Storm King would still get the princesses' magic by using the hippogriffs as a bargaining chip or something like that, I don't know.   It seems half baked at best.  

 

Overall, I'd keep the characters and the animation, but CHANGE THE STORYLINE!!

[Steel Accord 6,660]

No, not at all. At least, not as far as it’s bad because it isn’t. I enjoyed it immensely, I just thought it could have been better in places. Which is fine because I think a lot of movies I love could be “better in places.”

[SenorCornholio 2]

I'm a huge fan of the show, but I absolutely hated this movie. I would have liked it, warts and all, had our long-established heroes either not been barely useful at best, utterly inconsequential in the middle, or downright detrimental to their own progress at worst. Pinkie Pie getting Klugetown's attention and Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom are standout examples, but I absolutely loathed what the movie did to Twilight in this film. Seven seasons and two Equestria Girls films worth of development? Gone. Completely down the drain. We get to see her attempt to steal a pearl, shout at her friends, get captured and not even really try to escape aside from some magic blasts, and then feel sorry for herself and let her magic get drained. Only when the movie reminds her that she's the PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP does she become useful in the slightest. Honestly, I felt outright betrayed by this movie; it took steps backwards in terms of development just for the sake of creating tension, and no movie should ever, ever do that.

I actually prefer every single Equestria Girls film, individually, over this garbage. It may have introduced some great new characters and settings, and it had quite the budget this time, but good effects do not excuse a terrible story nor character derailment. And the fact that it's all going to be canon just makes me even more sick to my stomach.

In short... FUCK. THIS. MOVIE.

Edited January 27, 2018 by SenorCornholio

[twilightsparkle3562 145]

9 hours ago, SenorCornholio said:

I'm a huge fan of the show, but I absolutely hated this movie. I would have liked it, warts and all, had our long-established heroes either not been barely useful at best, utterly inconsequential in the middle, or downright detrimental to their own progress at worst. Pinkie Pie getting Klugetown's attention and Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom are standout examples, but I absolutely loathed what the movie did to Twilight in this film. Seven seasons and two Equestria Girls films worth of development? Gone. Completely down the drain. We get to see her attempt to steal a pearl, shout at her friends, get captured and not even really try to escape aside from some magic blasts, and then feel sorry for herself and let her magic get drained. Only when the movie reminds her that she's the PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP does she become useful in the slightest. Honestly, I felt outright betrayed by this movie; it took steps backwards in terms of development just for the sake of creating tension, and no movie should ever, ever do that.

I actually prefer every single Equestria Girls film, individually, over this garbage. It may have introduced some great new characters and settings, and it had quite the budget this time, but good effects do not excuse a terrible story nor character derailment. And the fact that it's all going to be canon just makes me even more sick to my stomach.

In short... FUCK. THIS. MOVIE.

You can skip over the movie, whether its canon or not.   I'm going to do that.

[Regent 77]

They definitely made Twilight a bit weak in this one. She can teleport, yet they had her in a cage... with bars she could have squeezed through. I understand it though - it happens a lot to Superman in Justice League. If they were fully powered and accurate, a lot of situations would be easily resolved and there wouldn't be a story. That's also why Discord isn't around.

Spoiler

 

That's not what hurt it though. I just think they could have done more with all of the characters and the plot. Tempest was great. The idea of a lonely unicorn resentful of being unable to use/control their magic... surely that's a pony after my own heart. After seeing the previews and understanding immediately what Tempest was about, I changed that aspect of my character in order to avoid seeming like a shameless copycat.

The Storm King could have had more screen time. I think they sent the message home though that he's crazy and doesn't respect agreements with underlings. That put his goons at risk and allows the audience to see that everyone is basically a victim of his insanity. As soon as he's gone, that empire crumbles and everybody's happy. I understood that, but they could have illustrated the expansiveness of his brand of evil a bit more. If they had done so, I imagine he'd be a bit like Megamind - evil, absolutely, but with an eye for presentation and branding. It's a lost opportunity, IMO.

The Hippogryphs, or rather, the vehicle for illustrating Twilight's moral failing (being a bit single-minded), was an interesting side plot that added to the story, though, again, I'd have wanted to see more.

 

I'd also like to have seen about two fewer songs. But whatever, it's for kids. It's good that nothing here was too annoying for parents, so it's a relatively painless experience in that right. The rest of us might be a little disappointed - we have to remember that none of this is really for us.

It's worth the $5.99 it costs to rent on Xfinity. Go for it. You'll enjoy the animation and see a bit more of the world beyond Equestria.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Regent