First things first, its much more enjoyable of a movie then the first. If you liked the first one at all, youll enjoy this for sure.
However, If you were indifferent to or didnt like the first movie. I dont think its going to impress that much more. As it does better at what EQG1 did that was entertaining. But at the same time, some problems that existed in the first still linger in the sequel.
One example being Flash Sentry. He has even less appearances and overall screentime then in the first. But almost every scene that had him talk and/or even mentioned was so cringeworthy and forced. I know there are fans out there that were hoping Rainbow Rocks redeemed Flash a little more. But Im sorry, none of that happened with Flash. I dont feel hes any deeper of a character after the first. The part where hes mean to Twilight doesnt count cause he was under the Dazzlings spell and even if it did count. Then hes portrayed as an asshole. Hes still very much the Generic Love Interest that he was in the first movie and once again, the movie could of done without him.
But how about I do it again like I did with the first movie with the things I liked:
- There were plenty of great character moments for many of the characters. Including those outside of the Main 6 and Sunset that were fun to see.
- The songs overall were better this time around then the majority of the songs in the first movie. The thing is though, I think ALL of the songs sung by the Dazzlings were far better then any of the songs sung by the HuMane 6/Rainbooms. There was just something different about the way they were sung, while the Mane 6s song all sounded like Generic Pop. I guess you could say if I was in that crowd I would still be hypnotized :P
- I also liked plenty of the continuity references, there was references to both the previous movie as well as in the show.
- Besides their music, the Dazzlings were a bit fun to watch. Though the constant arguing between the two that arent the leader kinda gets on your nerves after a while
But now for what I dont like:
- I wont repeat what I just said earlier. But Ill still list it here: Flash Sentry as a character is a legitimate flaw of the Equestria Girls series. There is nothing that makes me want to see Twilight and Flash together. Thankfully so far this has remained in EQG only. And I hope thats where it stays. I could not stand it if it leaked over into the main show somehow.
- The movie still had a few forced Because the plot said so! moments like Twilight fixing up some sort of device to make the mirror work again. It just speaks of We didnt know we were going to end up making a sequel, and this us handwaving a crucial plot element to the first just so we can have a sequel
- When Sunset was listing off the problems for the reasons most of the students distrust Sunset at the beginning of the movie. But she left out one that I wanted to yell out: She fired a laserbeam at Twilight and the HuMane 5 with the intent to hurt or even kill. I think after that Sunset should understand why the other students dont trust her yet. And thats not even getting into the implied years of bullying shes done. Its just a little hard to accept the attempt to redeem Sunset after the rather quick ending to the first movie where she was a bitch who became an Evil Demoness without any hint of good within her until shes crying on the ground after being defeated.
- This is a bit of a minor point, but we didnt get the full version of Trixies song within the movie. Thats kinda weird since shes the one character who got a full song on the soundtrack that isnt a Rainboom or a Dazzling song. I listened to it early when the soundtrack was out and on Youtube. And I was looking forward to see what the movie does with it visually. Only for most of the song being muffled while we see the HuMane 5 argue. And we only get little bits of it otherwise.
Thats all for the movie itself. There is one other scene in the movie I want to mention though. Where at the very end we get a glimpse of Human World Twilight. Which I actually find kinda exciting. Because this is either a teaser for the concept of what might be that Equestria Academy series we heard way back. And/or for a 3rd Movie. Why do I say Im excited for this when I wasnt that fond of the first, and only a little more of the 2nd? Cause Im really interested with the possibilities they could do with a brand new Twilight. Because this Twilight hasnt had the experience of Friendship like her Pony counterpart, she should be similar to how Twilight was early on in the first season. That has great potential for some great character moments. Like the Mane 6 thinking the Human Twi is still the Pony Twi mentioning all this stuff about Magic, Ponies, and more while this Twi will have no idea what theyre talking about.
While its likely theyd eventually get more Flashlight. Guess what: Introducing Human Twi may actually fix my biggest problems with FlashLight. Cause its a different Twilight from the one in the show, the Human one can have the Human Flash and I dont have to be afraid of it effecting too much in the main show. FlashLight Human stuff can happen in the Equestria Academy spin-off show and/or the 3rd Movie and I wont have as much of a problem with it as the pony Twilight we know and love is still how she is in the Main Series.
HOWEVER, even with FlashLight there has to be something that still makes Flash X Human Twi actually interesting. They should not make Human Twi just instantly fall in love with Flash just because the other Twi did. There should be some initial conflict in this relationship. Human Twi doesnt know Flash Sentry at all, she should find it weird that this guy is trying to come on to her as soon as she arrives at the school. And Flash not knowing any better because either he thinks Human Twi is the Twi he met or if he knows its a different Twilight
hell think itll be just as easy to woo her. As long as they have some degree of conflict in their relationship we can get something out of the two. And not to mention some actual character depth to Flash. If they can manage that, then this is something FlashLight related that I would tolerate.
Thats all I got to say now. I gave the first movie a 5 out of 10 in score. I think based on my first showing, I think the 2nd Movie did well enough to get a 7 out of 10. Its much more entertaining as a whole then the first movie. But that doesnt mean its entirely escaped what was wrong with the first movie. Its likely not going to change anyones opinion on the concept of Equestria Girls. If you liked the first movie, youll enjoy this one. But if you werent that impressed by the first, I dont think Rainbow Rocks is going to either.