DVD Review: My Little Pony: The Movie

Good news, Bronies and Pegasisters! Shout! Factory is releasing My Little Pony: The Movie, the first My Little Pony full-length feature, on DVD. And though it might lack the familiar voice talents of Tara Strong, Andrea Libman, and the rest of the Friendship Is Magic gang, this one features such well-known actors as Danny DeVito, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Rhea Perlman and Tony Randall, as well as the folks from the 1980s television series, including Nancy Cartwright (who is known for doing the voice of Bart Simpson). It also features Spike, everyone’s favorite baby dragon, here voiced by Charlie Adler.

The ponies and other animals are enjoying the Spring Festival, but Lickety Split ruins a show by trying to perform her own dance step in the middle of it. Ah, the 1980s, when even ponies wore legwarmers. Lickety Split impetuously decides to set out on her own, but Spike accompanies her.

Meanwhile the witches – Hydia (Cloris Leachman) and her two daughters, Reeka (Rhea Perlman) and Draggle (Madeline Kahn) – are plotting against the joy of the ponies. Hydia is disappointed in the lack of evil in her daughters. She waxes nostalgic: “Those were the good old days, when everything around here was dark and dank and dreary, before these sweet little ponies came along and made everything clean and bright and colorful.” She sings a delightful song about how they should be more evil. Among the things that upset Hydia is the fact that her daughters don’t play with the guillotine she bought for them.

There are several songs in this film, many of which are quite fun, like “Dirty Work,” which the young witches sing as they collect spell components for the Smooze. And I like the song the Smooze itself sings with the witches. There is also a sweet and kind of clever song at a well, with a funny call-and-response aspect to it.

My Little Pony: The Movie is mostly delightful, and has a lot of cute moments, like when one of the young witches casually eats a bug caught in a spider’s web, and the spider shakes its fist at her. I also love the moment when one pony goes back to warn the others that the Smooze is coming. A pony responds enthusiastically: “What’s smooze? Will we like it? Is it something nice?” That, of course, reminds me a bit of how Pinkie Pie might respond.

Also, the film looks great. It’s been newly restored, and the colors are bright and attractive (something Hydia would hate). Flutter Valley in particular looks beautiful. And remember: “Unicorns are good luck. And good company too.”

Special Features

The DVD includes four sing-alongs: “Go It Alone,” “Another Rainbow,” “What Good Will Wishing Do?” and “Dirty Work,” with the lyrics on the screen.

My Little Pony: The Movie is scheduled to be released on DVD on January 27, 2015 through Shout! Factory.