Review of Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony (2012) by Thomas M — 02 Jan 2014

Bronies, including Pegasisters, are people who enjoy the cartoon show My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. If you can already imagine how teenagers and adults might feel ostracized based on their identification with cartoon horses and togetherness during Brony conventions, then this documentary has nothing to offer you. Will every fandom get this kind of treatment? Maybe bronies should get the "7 Up" treatment where we measure the impact of My Little Pony over the course of their lives. As it stands, this documentary has no more insight than an Apple fan ranting about a new iPhone. Have you consumed the new thing yet? Wasn't it great? Let's be friends.

I remember watching the first couple of episodes of the cartoon when some friends clued me in to it growing a huge fanbase, and it seemed like a harmless, positive cartoon aimed at young girls. How come in all of the interviews with the bronies and show's creators, nobody can explain the show's appeal at length? "Grown-ups like to hear reinforcing messages about self-esteem and friendship," okay, I get that. Anything else? There's a common thread of social awkwardness and shyness among the filmed bronies, and I don't think this penetrated their personal shields at all, partially because the movie's personalities have all the insight of children returning from a field trip.

Go big or go home, documentary! Either buckle down and really examine what makes these bronies tick, or delve into the weirdest possible subjects and risk painting the entire subculture in a negative light. Otherwise, this is just a 90-minute "like.".