WesternAnimation Average. Just like the first one.
Ah yes, the very controversial My Little Pony spinoff, Equestria Girls. The first movie came out in 2013 to mixed reaction, while the movie was a financial success, the general consensus was mixed. I thought it was an entertaining movie. I won't go out of my way to see the movie again, but I didn't mind it overall. I don't know what people were honestly expecting from it. For a first shot, I thought it was fine. Bland, but fine.
Now comes the sequel released a year later, Rainbow Rocks. It seems to be much better received, regarded as a prime example of a Surprisingly Improved Sequel, and I really don't get why. Yeah, the first movie was a little clumsy, but this one is hardly better. Like the first one, the characters who aren't in focus are just there to fill space and serve no purpose but to make fans fangasm (or rage, whichever). This includes the Humane 6. Flash Sentry continues to be a complete waste of space. Would it have killed the writers to create some personality for this movie? I get it! It's My Little Pony, but with high school humans! Only now, they play music! Can we actually do something and go somewhere with this universe?
Rainbow Rocks as a whole does all the exact same things the first movie did. The only real interesting hook in this movie was Sunset Shimmer, the villain of the first movie, now struggling with her redemption in this film. Outside of that, Rainbow Rocks is a completely average paint-by-numbers sequel. The Humane 6 are what you expect. The villains (A Terrible Trio called the Dazzlings) are what you expect. All of the characters from the first movie are there, loads of cameos abound too, and you can't forget the songs. It is what it is. I also find it funny that the big theme this movie has is music and singing. Music, you mean, like in the original show, the first movie, the upcoming Friendship Games movie?
Overall, like its predecessor, Rainbow Rocks is a mediocre but enjoyable film that is a solid compliment to it's predecessor, as it continues the story of Sunset Shimmer. Unfortunately, this movie still doesn't do a good enough job to give the Equestria Girls universe some real development beyond "My Little Pony except Humans". If you liked the first Equestria Girls movie, you'll like this one. If you didn't like it, this one probably won't change your mind that much.
WesternAnimation A Marked Improvement
The first movie was, at best, So Okay, It's Average. It had some fun moments, but on the whole was a bit haphazard. This movie improves on it in just about every way.
The villains are entertaining and have a plan that actually makes sense, the conflict between the main cast is handled very well (building up gradually throughout the movie), the cameos and references to popular characters are handled smoothly, and best of all, Sunset Shimmer actually gets some characterization. While she was a flat Alpha Bitch in the first movie, in this one she's turned over a new leaf, and her attempts to redeem herself despite nearly everyone holding a grudge are easily the strongest part of the movie, and seeing her finally be accepted at the end is the most satisfying part of the resolution. In general, the plot (while still a bit iffy in parts) flows a lot more naturally than the first EQG movie did, and the characterization feels organic rather than forced. In general, it just feels like the writers had a much better grasp of what they wanted to do. The music, luckily, is very good, and fits the tone of the movie very well.
That said, Rainbow Rocks is still far from perfect. Once again, Flash Sentry is a weak link. He's even less plot relevant this time around, and while he has a few good scenes (being rude to Twilight to show how the Sirens have messed up the school) they all take place while he's under mind control, and once he snaps out of it he reverts to his Nice Guy persona from the first movie. And the whole Almost Kiss thing (which is thankfully interrupted) just feels tacked on, as Twilight and Flash barely even interact. The film also inherits a few issues from the first movie, such as the iffy, giant-headed character designs, and the fact that Celestia and Luna barely resemble their pony counterparts (and in general are underused). The connections to the Prime pony universe still bring up some issues (but the resolution seems to set up the setting as being more self-contained).
Overall, Rainbow Rocks is hardly going to win any Movie of the Year awards, it definitely took a big step in the right direction as far as the spinoff is concerned, and is definitely worth watching.
WesternAnimation Better than the first, by a very large margin
The first Equestria Girls was...exceedingly bland. The plot wasn't very exciting, the songs were forgettable. The only reason I watched this one was because, as a fan, I felt obligated.
I was pleasantly surprised. The premise was way more exciting. The Dazzlings were astronomically better villains than Sunset Shimmer ever was. Speaking of Sunset, she becomes a much better character when she drops the one-dimensional Alpha Bitch act. (And Flash Sentry is under mind control the whole time, so we don't have to watch his blandness as much) And unlike the first movie, the plot didn't seem forced (Why did she need to be voted princess? Why didn't she just steal the crown?) And most importantly, it holds up with the rest of the G4 franchise. Exciting, well-written, and enjoyable for people other than seven year-olds.
This being a Battle of the Bands movie (The page image and page quote, amazingly enough), you expect the songs to be the highlight. That they were. The songs were definitely the most memorable part of the movie. The Dazzlings, in my opinion, have some of the best songs in the G4 franchise. Unfortunately, the generic pop performed by the "Humane 6" didn't quite reach the bar set by our villains. But in a "This Day Aria" (Season 2 finale) fashion, the Dazzlings' songs are enough to make the movie memorable.
Despite being the sequel to an Old Shame, Rainbow Rocks is definitely worth a watch.