BLU-RAY REVIEW: My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

[JessHorsley]

The Rainbooms Rock Harder Than Ever In Hi-Def...

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There's seriously something wrong with me. There has to be. It began about two years ago when my daughter, then 3 years old, began watching My Little Pony after daycare. We'd get home and my daughter would watch an episode or two of the series before my wife returned home from work. At first, I was annoyed with this ridiculously immature and awkwardly written cartoon series. However, be it through osmosis or simple magic, I soon began to not just tolerate the series, but actually watch it. It wasn't long before I would actually sit down with my daughter and watch My Little Ponly: Friendship is Magic with my daughter, enjoying the unusual characters gallivanted around a mystical land of magic and mayhem, spreading the elements of harmony to any and all they would meet.

I wasn't one to admit it in person at the time, but - song by song, episode by episode, hour by hour and day by day - I began to enjoyed My Little Pony. I liked it. A lot. Soon, I actually looked forward to watching the show with my daughter, who - along with Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy - was learning to be kind, generous, honest, loyal, laugh and be a friend. And maybe that was the appeal to me, as a father; my daughter was actually living into the virtuous manner in which these ponies strive to live.

Now, after having watched the series multiple times, My Little Pony is one of my favorite shows. I applaud the series and its creators for being pro-active in engaging a culture of not only young girls looking for virtuous living, but likewise captivating an adult audience as well - particular the men, who seek to express themselves through enjoying a series that is probably misunderstood, under-appreciated or even unaccepted by other adults. All that said, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is one of the best cartoons for both young ones and adults thanks in no small part to the brilliant writing that includes catchy music, fun characters and pop culture references (including everything from Daft Punk and Star Wars to Lord of the Rings and Greek mythology).

Not long ago, My Little Pony Equestria Girls was released and I along with other fans were a bit shocked and maybe even a bit disappointed. Sending our main pony - Twilight Sparkle - into an alternate human world in which all of the Equestria ponies are were now human seemed a bit too shallow to me. In fact, it seemed to me like Hasbro was simply looking for an easy way to cash in on more My Little Pony merchandise. That said, literally personifying the ponies and transforming them into teenage girls at a high school called Canterlot High IS truly brilliant marketing. Maybe not that original, but definitely a smart move to keep the series on the screens and the toys on the shelves. And, all things considered, the Equestria Girls films aren't too bad either.

In fact, the newest film in the My Little Pony Equestria Girls series, My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, is far superior to the first film and extremely enjoyable if you're a fan of the series. Staring everyone's favorite princess pony - Princess Twilight Sparkle - as she once again travels to the human world to help her friends; My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks introduces fans to an evil new threat from Equestria that looms ready to take over the human world at any moment - the Sirens.

Having been banished from Equestria by Star Swirl the Bearded long ago, the Sirens - Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk, and Aria Blaze - seek to use human anger and aggression as fuel for their dark magic. However, it's the magic of Equestria they need in order to rise to their former glory and take over the human world. Thus, when Princess Twilight Sparkle returns to the human world to visit her friends Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer, the Sirens register at Canterlot High and turn the school's friendly Musical Showcase into a brutal and heated Battle of the Bands. Using the musical competition to bring student anger and aggression to a boiling point, the Sirens offer a threat unlike any other Twilight Sparkle and friends have ever faced. But - not to be outdone - Rainbow Dash and her band, The Rainbooms, are ready to cast their magical spell across the school...if only Twilight Sparkle can get the spell finished!

Like every episode of the cartoon series and the previously released Equestria Girls movie, My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks features an upbeat and engaging soundtrack with a number of songs that are very catchy. They might not feature the most well written lyrics, but the songs have a catchy tune that both a 5 year old girl and her 35 year old dad (that's me!) can enjoy together. Likewise, the story again does a great job of not only focusing on the positive nature of friendship and the elements of harmony - kindness, generosity, honesty, loyalty and laughter - but also focus on a variety of fun pop culture references that will make adult fans laugh out loud.

As far as special features, the My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks blu-ray includes an audio commentary that explores the production and creation of this second Equestria Girls film; eight "Prequel Shorts" that are both a bit too short (about 2:30 each) and too much fun; and three "Sing Alongs" from the film, including favorite songs "Better Than Ever," "Battle" and "Rainbooms Battle."

Again, it's probably not natural for a 35 year old man to enjoy My Little Pony this much, but I do. What can I say? Does that make me a Brony? If so, so be it. While maybe not as much fun as the original My Little Pony: Magic Is Friendship series, the new, feature-length My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks is a great musical addition to the MLP family. No doubt young girls will love the new film and, if that's not enough, they'll no doubt want to add the various My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks dolls and toys to their holiday "WANT" list too!

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks is available now on blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy where fine home video is sold.

- Jess C. Horsley

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