Most people who down-vote this movie do so because of songs they don't like, the cuteness and other stuff like that - I want to focus on another aspect that I believe damaged this movie greatly, and that is the ponies themselves.
They are not the main characters of this movie.
Let's take a step back here - we know the plot of the antagonists, the witches. It was explained that they lost the land when the ponies came in and made everything green, and just want it back. Hydia also wants to give her girls a bad upbringing and has failed that, and the two daughters don't know how to deal with this. Their story is well understood.
The Grundles, under the lead of their king played by Danny DeVito, also have a subplot that they want their land back that the witches took from them. Their story is also well understood.
But the ponies really don't have anything. They were just enjoying themselves in that spring festival of theirs and were just minding their own business. They only got a plot halfway-through because the Smooze came in to eat everything! And the only thing they do is run for help to the Williams siblings (Megan, Molly and Danny) and later on the Flutter ponies. Both of these groups really have no reason to do anything, and I really don't understand why the ponies gave Megan the Rainbow of Light since they needed it and Megan didn't need it at all.
It could have worked out though - the ponies have some skilled folks at their possession. The movie could have a subplot with Magic Star, an Earthling/Earth pony who was known for her magical abilities and here finally could prove herself. Or Wind Whistler with her intelligence and 'Spock' attitude, or Mimic who is the most powerful unicorn in all the land, or perhaps even Shady or Sundance who could use this situation to get over their respective self-esteem issues.
But no, the focus is on Baby Lickety-Split. Why you may ask? For no reason; the only thing she does is being a freaky annoyance and then the Smooze locks her up, so she got nothing to do with anything, and thus is only a waste of time with really bad songs to boot where she is more yelling than singing.
And thus, no pony actually got some time to shine.
And the way the plot gets resolved is completely stupid. First off, earlier on the ponies think they lost their home (Dream Castle) so a new home, Paradise Estate, is introduced. Then it turns out the Smooze didn't destroy the castle, so they now got two homes... and that issue doesn't get resolved. The second is the Grundles; they still haven't got their home back, and only get a ham-fisted moral that one should not judge them based on their looks. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, since their entire plot didn't revolve around that.
So, when it comes down to it, this movie should have been called "Hydia, Reeka and Draggel; a witches adventure", since this is all their story. If you want to see something that actually focuses on specific ponies, watch the G1 series or Friendship is Magic.
They are not the main characters of this movie.
Let's take a step back here - we know the plot of the antagonists, the witches. It was explained that they lost the land when the ponies came in and made everything green, and just want it back. Hydia also wants to give her girls a bad upbringing and has failed that, and the two daughters don't know how to deal with this. Their story is well understood.
The Grundles, under the lead of their king played by Danny DeVito, also have a subplot that they want their land back that the witches took from them. Their story is also well understood.
But the ponies really don't have anything. They were just enjoying themselves in that spring festival of theirs and were just minding their own business. They only got a plot halfway-through because the Smooze came in to eat everything! And the only thing they do is run for help to the Williams siblings (Megan, Molly and Danny) and later on the Flutter ponies. Both of these groups really have no reason to do anything, and I really don't understand why the ponies gave Megan the Rainbow of Light since they needed it and Megan didn't need it at all.
It could have worked out though - the ponies have some skilled folks at their possession. The movie could have a subplot with Magic Star, an Earthling/Earth pony who was known for her magical abilities and here finally could prove herself. Or Wind Whistler with her intelligence and 'Spock' attitude, or Mimic who is the most powerful unicorn in all the land, or perhaps even Shady or Sundance who could use this situation to get over their respective self-esteem issues.
But no, the focus is on Baby Lickety-Split. Why you may ask? For no reason; the only thing she does is being a freaky annoyance and then the Smooze locks her up, so she got nothing to do with anything, and thus is only a waste of time with really bad songs to boot where she is more yelling than singing.
And thus, no pony actually got some time to shine.
And the way the plot gets resolved is completely stupid. First off, earlier on the ponies think they lost their home (Dream Castle) so a new home, Paradise Estate, is introduced. Then it turns out the Smooze didn't destroy the castle, so they now got two homes... and that issue doesn't get resolved. The second is the Grundles; they still haven't got their home back, and only get a ham-fisted moral that one should not judge them based on their looks. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, since their entire plot didn't revolve around that.
So, when it comes down to it, this movie should have been called "Hydia, Reeka and Draggel; a witches adventure", since this is all their story. If you want to see something that actually focuses on specific ponies, watch the G1 series or Friendship is Magic.