My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Royal Pony Wedding

Review Date: August 6, 2012
NR
Genre: Family and Kids
2012

Common Sense Media says

Sweet story has happy messages but a bit of conflict, too.

Age

Quality

Educational value2
This movie aims to entertain more than to educate, but there are plenty of positive messages about relationships and determination.
Positive messages4
The story's themes include trusting your instincts and persevering in the face of doubt, both of which are recapped at the movie's end. Good and evil aren't always distinguishable in the early stages of the story, but there's a rosy ending and some lessons learned for the protagonists.
Positive role models3
Twilight Sparkle and her friends share sweet relationships that are strengthened by each pony's uniqueness. She also enjoys a mutual affection with her big brother, who's been a role model all her life. Despite all of these connections, though, Twilight learns that there are times in life when you're forced to rely on your own convictions and abilities, and she finds a new sense of self-reliance in doing so.
Violence & scariness2
The ponies face off with a nefarious herd of changelings, with some punching and kicking from both sides and an exchange of flying bolts of light that knock down their enemies. But no one appears to be seriously injured. A main character is imprisoned for a short time.

Sexy stuff1
A couple of kisses between the betrothed pair.
Language0
Not applicable.
Consumerism4
The movie is based on characters from a popular toy line from Hasbro. Replicas of all of the characters, plus special edition wedding-themed ones, are available at stores, and their images grace an array of clothing, books, games, and accessories as well.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
Not applicable.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Royal Pony Wedding is inspired by a well-known product line from Hasbro, so if your kids aren't already aware of the toys, games, and accessories bearing the brand, they most likely will be after watching. But if this kind of commercialism isn't a concern for your family, this movie is a fine pick: It incorporates valuable social messages into a well scripted, relatable story that has wide-range appeal. The concept of good and evil is central to the story, as are sinister plots and the possibility of being impersonated by someone. That, combined with a physical clash between the two sides -- marked by some hitting, kicking, and an exchange of colored bolts fired at each other -- warrants some thoughtful previewing if your younger kids are sensitive to this kind of content.

What's the story?

Wedding bells are set to chime in the enchanted land of Canterlot as Princess Celestia's (voiced by Nicole Oliver) niece, Cadence (Britt McKillip), prepares to marry Shining Armor (Andrew Francis) in MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC: ROYAL PONY WEDDING. But the news doesn't sit well with Shining Armor's little sister, Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong), who fears the union will change her relationship with her favorite brother. Twilight and her Ponyville friends travel to Canterlot to help out with planning the big event, but her resentment turns to concern when she alone notices Cadence's uncharacteristically selfish and cruel behavior toward everyone, including her fiancé. When her friends disregard her worries, Twilight sets out to discover the truth behind Cadence's strange behavior. In addition to the feature story, this DVD also includes three extra episodes from the TV series.

Is it any good?

Royal Pony Wedding is the culmination of two seasons of the popular TV series My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic. Even if your kids aren't up to speed on the characters and their relationships, they'll easily settle in to the magical land of Equestria and come to love its colorful, jovial residents. It's tempting to presume the movie is just for the very young, based on its recognizable Hasbro-inspired characters, but in fact there's a lot of humor and some more mature themes that are designed to entertain older kids and, to some degree, even adults.

As with the TV series, this story pulls double-duty as entertainment and an illustrator of life lessons that have value for kids of all ages, this time centering on perseverance and self-reliance in the face of adversity. Twilight's experiences teach her a lot about respecting others' needs and accepting change, and she becomes a better sister and friend because of it. There are some tense moments during a face-off between the Canterlot clan and an army of imposters, so take some precaution in sharing it with very young kids.

Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about overcoming challenges. Twilight has to face doubt from her friends as she works to prove her convictions. What gives her the strength to keep going? Is it hard to fight for something when you're the only one who believes in it?
Kids: Have you ever been jealous of the time a friend spends with someone else? How did it make you feel? What are some ways you can work through a situation like that?
Are you familiar with the My Little Pony characters? Do you have any of the toys? How does seeing the characters on TV influence your desire for the toys, clothes, and other items with their faces on them?

More details

Topics:	magic and fantasy, brothers and sisters, friendship, horses and farm animals, music and sing-along
Studio:	Shout! Factory
Directors:	James Wootton, Jayson Thiessen
Cast:	Andrew Francis, Britt McKillip, Tara Strong
Genre:	Family and Kids
Run time:	120 minutes
DVD release date:	August 7, 2012
MPAA rating:	NR

This review of My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Royal Pony Wedding was written by Emily Ashby

Age

Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:

33% say violence is an issue
33% say there are positive role models
33% say there are positive messages
33% say it's educational

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Most useful reviews by all members

SapphireWatermelon

Kid, 12 years old

August 7, 2012

OK for kids & up

Amazing

I may be almost a teen, but I love Friendship is Magic, and Royal Wedding was easily the best of the three two-parters in the series. First of all, the music. BBBFF will tug the heartstrings of girls who admire their brothers. This Day Aria reminds me of a scene in The Little Mermaid and is sung by a villain and a main character at the same time (but by one voice actress). Love is in Bloom gives an excellent closure to Season 2 and is all about love between two people. The two episodes are very well-written, and introduce multiple new characters but don't get too confusing. While super-sweet, Royal Wedding doesn't get overly sappy or cloying. There is some minor violence and scariness, but it's fine for kids 5 and up. The 'mane' 6 characters in the series (though Twilight Sparkle is the main protagonist in Royal Wedding) are fantastic role models as well. Overall this is a superb TV movie that will entertain, educate, and excite kids (maybe even the older kids and boys)!

What other families should know

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Kid, 10 years old

August 8, 2012

OK for kids & up

I have heard how great the MLP Friendship is Magic shows are so we have borrowed a few from the library. The first two episodes on this dvd, which were the wedding episodes, were not good for my 4 year old. The "changelings" in the episodes (bad ponies trying to take over the kingdom) were very scary looking. The main bad pony had holes in her body and horn that made her look like something that was once dead. I have actually been very surprised in the episodes I have watched that the bad characters have been the stuff of nightmares. My 4 year old didn't seem to mind but she won't be watching them again. I have also noticed that too many of the episodes have been about finding romantic love also. I would like my children to grow up thinking about making themselves happy rather than looking for Mr. Right. These are disappointingly unappropriate in that respect. I do have to say that a few of the episodes have been about friendship and have had some very good humorous parts that we still laugh about. Too bad they are all not like that. I am not sure the right message comes through in all the episodes.

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Jodie701

Parent

February 23, 2013

OK for kids & up

May cause nightmares

I'm glad I watched this before letting my 6 year old watch it. It's a shame that a cute character movie is totally spoiled by the evil looking scary changelings. Honestly the scary factor is over done. The changelings remind me of the creepy dementors from Harry Potter!

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Redfire

Teen, 13 years old

April 6, 2013

OK for kids & up

" friendship is magic "?! - my little pony

Ok. This movie sucks? I think ya I would not even rent it though I am a brony

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