Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

By Angela Zimmerman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Friendship tale has positive messages; some sinister parts.

Movie NR 2014 75 minutes
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 6+

Based on 9 parent reviews

Rarityfan
Rarityfan Adult
July 7, 2018
age 7+

You rock

Of course lot of consumerism. Some crushes. Intense music duel climax.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much consumerism
Wael M.
Wael M. Parent
December 3, 2016
age 5+

Very Good Movie

The only problem is I don't like when Flash Sentry harasses Twilight Sparkle,and the Sirens say "idiot" but my child is 7 and we use language like "stupid" "LOL"..Best E.G. Girls movie!!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

All is well at Cantalot High in MY LITTLE PONY: EQUESTRIA GIRLS: RAINBOW ROCKS. Rainbow Dash, Applejack (both voiced by Ashleigh Ball), Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy (both voiced by Andrea Libman), and Rarity (Tabitha St. Germain) have forgiven the reformed Sunset Shimmer (Rebecca Shoichet) for her villainous ways -- and, like the rest of the students, the girls are getting ready for the school's upcoming musical showcase ("Mane Event"). They're excited to perform with their band, The Rainbooms. But when a trio of mysterious new students, The Dazzlings, shows up and turns the friendly showcase into a full-fledged competition, friends start to turn on each other, bickering and bullying and pulling out mean tricks. It soon becomes clear that The Dazzlings have cast a sinister spell on the student body using black magic, which feeds off the negative energy that's generated by the mean-spirited students in the competition. The Equestria Girls call on Princess Twilight (Tara Strong) to return to their world and use her "friendship magic" to break the spell -- but once Twilight sees what she's up against, she knows she can't do it on her own. Will the Equestria Girls band together and triumph over The Dazzlings' black magic before it consumes the entire school -- and even destroys their own friendships?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (38 ):

Fans of My Little Pony will love the magical Equestria Girls and will enjoy watching them work together to prevail over the villainous, witchy Dazzlings. Kids new to all things Pony will be drawn to the colorful characters, the catchy music, the sweet and enduring friendships, and the fun the girls have together, whether they're taking selfies at a sleepover, working on a new song at band practice, or strategizing about how to break The Dazzlings' evil spell.

But Rainbow Rocks isn't all eye candy and squeaky-clean fun. The Dazzlings' ability to draw power from the students' negativity, creating strife simply by tapping into the dark side of competition, may resonate with older kids who've witnessed -- or taken part in -- group bullying or seen a healthy competition go sour. But the strong friendships between the Equestria Girls -- and the tools of communication, forgiveness, and collaboration they use to work through conflicts and challenges -- provide examples of positive behavior and resolution for kids of all ages to follow, and they're ultimately where the value in this My Little Pony tale lies.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the value of friendship and loyalty. What makes the friendship between the Equestria Girls special?

  • Why do you think Sunset Shimmer changed her ways in My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks? Can you think of a time you've forgiven a friend or sibling for something they've done? What does it mean to really forgive someone?

  • Have you ever been bullied or know someone who has? How did it make you feel? What are some ways you can stand up to bullying?

  • The Dazzlings become powerful and are able to cast their spell by soaking up the bad behavior and negative energy of the students at Canterlot High. What do you think it means to "feed" off the energy of someone else? Can you think of a time you've been affected by someone else's attitude or behavior?

  • How familiar are you with the My Little Pony characters and toys? Does seeing the movie make you want to get the associated toys? Would you have wanted to see the movie if you didn't already watch My Little Pony or have some of the ponies?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate