Is 'My Little Pony: A New Generation' Entertaining For Adults?

Netflix / Hasbro

Bright colors, ponies, pegasi, and unicorns! The “My Little Pony” of your youth is making a mighty comeback by way of Netflix’s “My Little Pony: A New Generation.” The computer-animated movie features spellbinding visuals, but is it as entertaining for adults as it is for kids? This viewer was not expecting their verdict.

Yes! It is impossible not to gush about the new Netflix movie that gives genre-conqueror Disney a run for its money. “My Little Pony: A New Generation” follows the perfectly-named -- Sunny Starscout (Vanessa Hudgins, “Polar”) -- as she sets out to unite earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi (the plural form of a Pegasus).

With a message as pure as its graphics, Sunny finally meets the unicorn Izzy Moonbow (Kimiko Glenn), who is again perfectly named. Taught by her father to love ponies in all of their forms (“from heart to hooves”), Sunny loves and is fascinated by unicorns. However, she soon learns that unicorns have lost their magic, driving the plot “My Little Pony: A New Generation” forward.

Inspired by Izzy and their friendship, Sunny is determined to make all ponies friends again and restore magic to the realm. The message is so heartfelt and how it is shared is so beautiful it is next to impossible not to shed a tear. It is proof that such a sentiment can still reach grown-ups without needing the adult-fueled antics of certain films.

Netflix / Hasbaro

What Adults Can Learn

Historical TV shows such as “Medici” can attempt to educate on these topics and the road history has taken, as adults can continue wrestling with them. If you boil it all down to the beautiful view that Sunny and her father share, you can see how easy it can be to simply choose love.

The music only helps to bolster their case. “My Little Pony: A New Generation” has a lot of catchy songs, and that is saying something having recently watched “Frozen 2.” The lyrics are clever, whimsical, and well-rhymed. It all has a positive impact on viewers. As every minute goes by, spirits will only get lighter and lighter.

The pairing of Robert Cullen, José Ucha, and Tim Sullivan’s story with Gillian Berrow and Sullivan’s script makes for a dazzling final product. There is nothing little about the magnitude of “My Little Pony: A New Generation” and its heart. It is all there in spades, and as an adult who is now watching kid movies without a child’s rosy glasses, that is a telling feat.

Netflix / Hasbro

The Verdict

As an aunt, I am getting a new lease on movie life by watching flicks geared towards kids again with one huge adjustment. I am an adult seeking mental engagement. Watching kid movies as an adult means finally getting to understand what adults meant by “Shrek” also being for adults. At the time, kid-me thought it was a bit selfish. Now, I totally get it.

Hence, wisdom often comes with age. For every “Trolls” movie, there is a “Frozen,” a movie that can be enjoyed by kids and the adults who take them to it. After all, adults write these movies, so there should be some crossover action. Thankfully, the filmmakers got the memo, and “My Little Pony: A New Generation” is proof of that.

Netflix / Hasbro

Final Thoughts

The wit of the writing is a huge selling point in making this a movie the whole family can truly enjoy. It never stops or slows down. Potential nods such as the characters exclaiming “we are all in this together,” which was a hit song from “High School Musical” starring Vanessa Hudgins, will not get lost on older viewers.

The animation is also remarkable, crisp, and at times surprisingly life-like. There is nothing about it that disappoints. “My Little Pony: A New Generation” is currently streaming on Netflix. If you want to check out the healing power of real-life horses and ponies, you can watch the heartwarming live-action series “Heartland,” which is also currently available on the streaming giant.