History YMMV / TheEmojiMovie

** The character of Jailbreak has been criticised for existing solely to complain about “patriarchy” [[PanderingToTheBase in an attempt to represent and get praise from the feminist community]]. Ironically, her [[{{Jerkass}} unlikable personality]], the [[FridgeLogic nonsensicalness within the universe]] and heavy-handedness of her complaints, and the fact that her arc ends with her ''returning'' to being a princess, something she allegedly hated, results in a BrokenAesop that comes off as [[StrawFeminist unintentionally insulting]] to feminists.

** Creator/TJMiller [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/tj-miller-slams-silicon-valley-cast-for-not-doing-enough-to-stop-trump_us_59701345e4b062ea5f8f1e26 claims that this is a film where women have "limitless potential."]] Yet Jailbreak is [[{{Anvilicious}} extremely heavy-handed]] at pushing a pro-feminist message, but her unlikable [[{{Jerkass}} personality]], poorly received character design, and the "feminist" message in question being [[BrokenAesop/TheEmojiMovie completely botched]][[note]]Not only are there countless female emojis who do not fit Jailbreak's explanation of them being only allowed to be a limited number of things, but ''Smiler'', the leader of the phone, is also female[[/note]] left many feminists more irritated than pleased.

** The movie's title and premise don't even bother to hide that it was made in an attempt [[FollowTheLeader to cash in on the success of]] ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', with even the [[http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/the-emoji-movie/264831/explaining-the-emoji-movie director]] describing it as Sony's own "Lego movie". It doesn't help that the female lead [[CaptainErsatz strongly resembles Wyldstyle]][[note]]Coincidentally, in Latin America, they even share the ''same voice actress'', Karla Falcón[[/note]]. She also resembles [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrange Chloe Price]] in appearance, if not in personality, and her subplot plays out like that of [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Vanellope's]].

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: In the middle of [[BigBad Smiler's]] meeting in one scene, [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry she is so angry]], she said she needs something happy to lighten the mood. Cue the Gavel emoji whistles for Flamenco Dancer emoji to cheer her up. Smiler just said [[EveryoneHasStandards "Not that happy"]] and pushes the Flamenco Dancer emoji away. Given that it lasted at least 10 seconds, it was never mentioned again.

* TheyCopiedItSoItSucks: Here's a fun drinking game: Scroll through any article on the movie and take a shot every time someone points out the similarities to ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' and/or ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph''. '''You will die.'''[[note]][[Wiki/TVTropes This article itself]] has mentioned said movies multiple times.[[/note]] Even plot points not spoiled by the marketing, such as TheReveal that Jailbreak is a princess are so reminiscent of other films that many viewers have jokingly suggested that lawsuits be filed against Tony Leondis (who was also one of the writers for the film) and[=/=]or Creator/{{Sony}}.

* ItsTheSameSoItSucks: As noted multiple times on this very entry, the Internet as a whole despises this movie for its blatant ripping off of [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph many]], [[WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie many]], ''[[WesternAnimation/InsideOut many]]'' [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory other]] better-liked animated films. The first trailers were viciously ripped apart online for their nearly beat-for-beat repetition of tired [[ClicheStorm animated cliches]], and it got even worse when at least one plot twist was stolen ''[[FollowTheLeader directly]]'' from ''Wreck-It Ralph.''

** The character of Jailbreak has been criticised for existing solely to complain about “patriarchy” [[PanderingToTheBase in an attempt to represent and get praise from the feminist community]]. Ironically, her [[{{Jerkass}} unlikable personality]], the [[FridgeLogic nonsensicalness within the universe]] and heavy-handedness of her complaints, and the UnfortunateImplications on how her arc ends resulting in a BrokenAesop comes off as [[StrawFeminist unintentionally insulting]] to feminists.

* UnfortunateImplications:
** [[https://www.theodysseyonline.com/expressive-emoting-over-the-emoji-movie This article points out]] how female Jailbreak is the only emoji to have a full body, as if the designers went overboard in establishing that yes, she's a girl.
** [[MisaimedMarketing For whatever reason]], the movie's official Twitter account decided to post an image parodying ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'', which is about a woman forced into institutionalized rape by an oppressive theocracy. This was widely criticized as [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emoji-movie-criticized-tasteless-handmaids-tale-tweet-1024054 tasteless and offensive]] and the offending tweet itself was taken down two days after it was initially noticed.
** [[https://www.vox.com/summer-movies/2017/7/27/16037862/emoji-movie-review-garbage-fire-poo-patrick-stewart This review]] brings up that the movie suggests you can ''delete {{troll}}s'' in the same manner that someone can delete emails, apps and emojis. Anyone who is familiar with what trolls actually are [[DeadlyEuphemism can see a problem with this]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAvBeJLL9l0#t=7m25s Some]] [[https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ue9uQv0eDT0#t=6m55s reviewers have]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puBkclOe6hw#t=11m02s pointed out]] how Gene reverting back to his "meh" personality after Jailbreak rejects his romantic advances conveys the message that [[EntitledToHaveYou you can't ever truly be yourself unless you snag a romantic partner]].

** Hi-5's [[ItsAllAboutMe character flaws]] are [[UpToEleven deeply exaggerated]] just so that he can learn the value of friendship and humility. Even then, his CharacterDevelopment consists of him being an unlikable, attention-seeking {{Jerkass}} for the entire film until he just ''says'' that he isn't one anymore.

** Jailbreak ''does'' admittedly have a few fans (someone even shipped her with [[WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie Wyldstyle]], a character she tends to get compared to) due to her cool tomboy design and personality, but like pretty much almost everything else in the movie, she certainly is ''not'' without her haters for the belief that she's a carbon copy of Wyldstyle and that her being a princess was stolen directly from [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Vanellope]].

* ClicheStorm: One of the film's biggest criticisms is that it is an unashamed mishmash of animated movie clichés from its era, as highlighted in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmUvW4egbNQ this video]] comparing it (or more, merely its ''trailer'') to the many, ''many'' works that it is derivative of. People had even begun ([[IKnewIt correctly]]) predicting the plot beats, characters, and the ending for this film since ''[[UpToEleven before the posters were even released]]'': the [[TheGenericGuy generic protagonist]] who [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer doesn't fit in]] [[IJustWantToBeNormal goes on an adventure seeking to conform.]] Along the way, he meets an [[ComicRelief obnoxious comic relief]] and a [[RealWomenDontWearDresses generic tough girl]] who [[RebelliousPrincess happens to be a princess dreaming of more]] while being hunted down by an [[ControlFreak order obsessed villain.]] She is defeated, which results in [[DancePartyEnding a giant dance party.]] We also get [[StockAesops the timeless message]] of [[BeYourself being yourself]] when the movie itself [[{{Irony}} lacks an identity]], and the movie makes sure to [[{{Anvilicious}} ram it down the audience's throats at every opportunity]].

** Gene is supposed to be the hero, but several apps were deleted because of him, all with little remorse. What's even worse is that his parents offer him the chance to gracefully back out, but he ''insists'' on going into work just to elevate his own self-esteem. Jailbreak even calls him a hero despite causing all the problems in the first place. Not to mention, when the ''VideoGame/JustDance'' app gets deleted along with [[EnsembleDarkhorse Akiko Glitter]] and Hi-5, he doesn't even ''[[ProtagonistCenteredMorality consider]]'' trying to save Akiko, leaving her to [[FridgeHorror likely be erased from existence]] if Alex ever empties his trash bin. What makes matters worse is that the app is only deleted because of a problem that ''Gene'' caused. Even ''[[UpToEleven more]]'' embarrassing is that his father was born with the mutation but learned to suppress it for the good of everyone around him, which makes Gene's actions look like potentially lethal criminal laziness.

** Akiko Glitter serves as an antagonist, given that activating the ''Just Dance'' app was presented as an undesirable thing, she slows the heroes down allowing the bots to catch up to them, and threatens to drop them into the void if they can't keep up with her moves. However, her personality and the fact that the heroes seem to genuinely enjoy dancing with her meant that most viewers saw her as an unfortunate victim of [[DesignatedHero Gene and Hi-5]]'s antics, and [[UnintentionallySympathetic thought that being deleted and abandoned was an undeserved fate]]. Not to mention that slowing them down was [[DesignatedHero Hi-5]]'s fault in the first place because of pressing a big red button.

** And of course, the ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' and ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' fandoms who hate this film for aping them both in many ways.
** The ''WebAnimation/InAHeartbeat'' fandom of all things, since they find it ironic a four-minute-long kickstarted short made by a small team, was a million times better than a sponsored, large budget movie with an AllStarCast. Adding more fuel to the fire, one of the main characters is helped by an eccentric heart that looks a bit like an emoji itself.

** Director Tony Leondis, who is openly gay, once compared Gene's struggles with showing off his face-changing ability with how gay men struggle with coming out in real life. Considering Gene nearly got the phone reset because of his ability, and that it was ''inherited'' it from his father, made the whole metaphor come across as insulting towards those in the LGBT community.

** WebVideo/AniMat has also pointed out in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydvQB-4bBfQ review]] that the film is basically a retread of [[Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation SPA's own]] ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'', released four months earlier: both are set in worlds where the characters have only one character trait, the main character is an outcast, they go on a journey with their friends to forbidden lands and end up with a [[{{Anvilicious}} preachy message]] of [[BeYourself being yourself]].

* TheyCopiedItSoItSucks: Here's a fun drinking game: Scroll through any article on the movie and take a shot every time someone points out the similarities to ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' and/or ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph''. '''You will die.'''[[note]]Hell, [[Wiki/TVTropes this article itself]] has mentioned said movies multiple times.[[/note]] Even plot points not spoiled by the marketing, such as TheReveal that Jailbreak is a princess are so reminiscent of other films that many viewers have jokingly suggested that lawsuits be filed against Tony Leondis (who was also one of the writers for the film) and[=/=]or Creator/{{Sony}}.

** Gene loses a lot of sympathy points as well. Sure, he stops the phone from being reset, but several apps were deleted because of him. Not to mention, he doesn't even try to rescue Akiko Glitter when he goes to save Hi-5 from the trash, when he himself was responsible for her being there. As well, there's his panicking upon being picked by Alex and his inability to make a single face, which really shouldn't be too hard.

* {{Woolseyism}}: The Latin American Spanish dub changes the names of the trolls to the more fitting name of ''trojans'', since they are basically viruses rather than people.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: [[http://yashar.cc/Emoji-Movie The character designs and backgrounds]] are ''very'' pretty (the occasional UncannyValley of said designs notwithstanding). The backgrounds are thoroughly complex and colorful, giving off genuine technological vibes, while the designs have a lot of attention to detail applied to them. It's no surprising that the art direction is thought to be the only good thing about the film.

* UncannyValley:
** The emoji character designs. Their limbs are all underneath large, heavily detailed heads, and look extremely distracting. The [[http://cdn3-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/emojimovie-express-yourself/emoji_movie_ver3_xlg.jpg faces]] [[http://cdn3-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/emojimovie-express-yourself/emoji_movie_xlg.jpg don't look]] [[http://cdn3-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/emojimovie-express-yourself/emoji_movie_ver5_xlg-1.jpg much better]] either, and to top it off they barely even resemble actual emojis.
** Hi-5 can bend his thumb and pinky finger like arms, which looks like he is painfully breaking and disjointing them.
** [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DFcrIDmXsAAaA4M.jpg This]] mascot suit of Gene.

** Smiler at the end of the movie where she's sent to the loser lounge, her centre teeth broken, and forced to wear a massive retainer after being crushed by her own robot. You sorta wanna give her a hug, if you're willing to forgive her trying to murder Gene and his father even after the former had his malfunction fixed, even if it was out of heartbreak of getting rejected by Jailbreak.
** Alex's habit of immediately deleting programs that act strangely makes Smiler's preoccupation with order and normality more understandable.
** After ''Just Dance'' gets deleted, Akiko Glitter doesn't know how to do anything else, so she has no choice but to dance in pure agony ''[[AndIMustScream forever]]'', with Gene not even bothering to save her. As a result, people refuse to believe that they're not supposed to care for her.

* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Smiler is treated as a despicable ControlFreak despite the dangers of an emoji making more than one face. Meanwhile, the film glosses over everything bad that Gene does, who doesn't even offer an apology. [[spoiler:Gene leaves Akiko Glitter to die with the trolls]], can't hold a face without panicking, feels {{entitled|ToHaveYou}} to fall in love with Jailbreak and his adventure actually accelerates Alex's decision to erase all the phone data.

** Gene is supposed to be the hero, but several apps were deleted because of him, all with little remorse. What's even worse is that his parents offer him the chance to gracefully back out, but he ''insists'' on going into work just to elevate his own self-esteem. Jailbreak even calls him a hero despite causing all the problems in the first place. The movie clearly wants us to believe that FantasticRacism is in effect towards Gene because of his malfunction, but no one is particularly rude or unfriendly towards him until ''after'' he [[NiceJobBreakingItHero destroys his workplace.]] Not to mention, when the ''VideoGame/JustDance'' app gets deleted along with [[EnsembleDarkhorse Akiko Glitter]] and Hi-5, he doesn't even ''[[ProtagonistCenteredMorality consider]]'' trying to save Akiko, leaving her to [[FridgeHorror likely be erased from existence]] if Alex ever empties his trash bin. What makes matters worse is that the app is only deleted because of a problem that ''Gene'' caused. Even ''[[UpToEleven more]]'' embarrassing is that his father was born with the mutation but learned to suppress it for the good of everyone around him, which makes Gene's actions look like potentially lethal criminal laziness.

* TheScrappy: While it's not like any of the characters in the movie are particularly well-liked, no one has anything nice to say about Hi-5. He's [[TheLoad generally useless]] and [[SpotlightStealingSquad steals screentime from the other characters]], making him come off as annoying rather than funny.

* AccidentalAesop: If your phone starts to act up, turn it off and turn it back on later, and/or run a scan on it. If your phone still keeps acting up, do a manual factory reset on it. [[RuleOfThree If it STILL keeps acting up]], don't bother keeping that stupid phone, so just get a ''better'' replacement!

* ArtisticLicense: {{Troll}}s aren't malware like viruses or Trojan Horses. They're actual people. You would think that Sony would know this after having to deal with them on films like ''Film/Ghostbusters2016''.

* AccidentalAesop: If your phone starts to act up, turn it off and turn it back on later, and/or run a scan on it. If your phone still keeps acting up, do a manual factory reset on it. [[RuleOfThree If it STILL keeps acting up]], don't bother keeping that phone, so get a ''better'' replacement.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: The mere thought of having an entire feature-length film about emojis didn't tick with many. The movie's real [[UncertainAudience demographic problem]] was summed up best in [[http://www.markreviewsmovies.com/reviews/E/emojimovie.htm this review]]:
-->"With its bright colors and cute characters, ''The Emoji Movie'' clearly was made, presumably by adults, for young kids, even though it's about technology in a way that a person has to be at least a pre-teen in order to appreciate. It's a movie that's too bland for adults, too cutesy and juvenile for teens and pre-teens, and too confusing for kids. In other words, it's a movie for no one, [[ProductPlacement except all of the companies that signed on to have their mobile applications and games blatantly promoted without a lick of shame on the part of the filmmakers]]."
::Plus, despite being aimed toward younger audiences, the movie constantly carries a sense of contempt toward younger people with its implication of youth culture being vapid, shallow, and trivial, especially with regards to technology, essentially shoving a middle finger in the face of the intended audience.

* CriticalResearchFailure: {{Troll}}s aren't malware like viruses or Trojan Horses. They're actual people. You would think that Sony would know this after having to deal with them on films like ''Film/Ghostbusters2016''.

--->"With its bright colors and cute characters, ''The Emoji Movie'' clearly was made, presumably by adults, for young kids, even though it's about technology in a way that a person has to be at least a pre-teen in order to appreciate. It's a movie that's too bland for adults, too cutesy and juvenile for teens and pre-teens, and too confusing for kids. In other words, it's a movie for no one, [[ProductPlacement except all of the companies that signed on to have their mobile applications and games blatantly promoted without a lick of shame on the part of the filmmakers]]."

* EightDeadlyWords: With almost all of the characters being {{flat|Character}}, annoying, and/or just plain [[{{Jerkass}} unlikable]], you can't find yourself rooting for anyone to make it through in the end (especially with the film's [[ClicheStorm generic plot]] meaning that the protagonists will survive), with the exception of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Akiko Glitter]], who is the ''only'' character to die. WebVideo/{{Bobsheaux}} expresses that he thinks Gene is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja2egaTGOwE#t=11m00s "probably the most depressing character motivation I've ever heard in my life."]] Add to it that WebVideo/TheMysteriousMrEnter said that it doesn’t remind him of ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'', ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', or even ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' (films that it blatantly rips off), but it actually reminded him of the Creator/SeltzerAndFriedberg films, which are {{Shallow Parod|y}}ies notorious for being unfunny and terrible.

** As for characters who live in the phone, Akiko Glitter tends to be the one most people seem to like, particularly because of her undeserving and much criticized death

** As for characters who live in the phone, Akiko Glitter tends to be the one most people seem to like. Her death was a criticism.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:

* ItWasHisSled:
** Smiler is the villain. Which isn't exactly a spoiler since this is shown ''[[TrailersAlwaysSpoil in the trailers.]]''
** Jailbreak is secretly a princess emoji.
** Akiko Glitter [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath dies horribly.]]

** Alex [[FlatCharacter learned absolutely nothing through the entire movie]] and so the CosmicHorrorStory remains intact. Given Alex's [[WhatAnIdiot rash decision making,]] they will all be in far greater danger than Emojis on other phones. The only reason that they weren't all erased was because Addie was so EasilyImpressed.

--->'''Jeremy Jahns:''' This freshman in highschool [is] trying to muster the guts to send an emoji text to this girl that he likes. But he gets nervous 'cause he can't talk to her. Though apparently, he got her phone number. [[DeadpanSnarker He talked to her enough to get her phone number, so there's that.]] ''Now'' he's gonna be nervous about sending her an emoji? Dude, you're already like halfway there! [[WhatAnIdiot Stupid.]]

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Alex takes his phone to the electronics center to have ''its data erased'' after seeing some apps act strangely and accidentally sending "the wrong face".
** Gene panicking when he is picked by Alex instead of making and holding ''a single facial expression''.
** When the main trio is sneaking through the ''Just Dance'' app to reach Dropbox, Hi-5 decides to turn the app on for no reason when Jailbreak explicitly said not to, alerting the bots to their location and almost causing them to all get deleted.

* SoOkayItsAverage: The very few people that didn't outright hate the film or consider it to be SoBadItsGood considered it to just be average instead. Or, [[JustForPun should we say]], "meh".

** It's also been compared to ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' in terms of its plot revolving around an outcast trying to find his place in a society ruled by a tyrannical leader, only with smartphone apps instead of holidays.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: [[http://yashar.cc/Emoji-Movie The character designs and backgrounds]] are ''very'' pretty, especially in Dropbox and Spotify (the occasional UncannyValley of said designs notwithstanding), and are often thought to be the only good thing about the film.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: A lot of people consider the animation to be one of the film's few saving graces, being very fluid and having well-structured visuals, especially the Spotify scene. Even people like WebVideo/AniMat and WebVideo/IHateEverything, who otherwise harshly panned the film, praised the effort that was clearly put into it.[[note]]Much of the ''Emoji Movie'' team based at SPA would later work on ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheMitchellsVsTheMachines''.[[/note]]

* TheScrappy: While it's not like any of the characters in the movie are particularly well-liked, no one has anything nice to say about Hi-5. He's [[TheLoad generally useless]] and [[SpotlightStealingSquad steals screentime from the other characters]], making him come off as annoying rather than funny.