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My (Spoiler-Free) Review of Steven Universe: The Movie

I’ve seen a few cartoons get the musical treatment in the past. Shoot, Spongebob Squarepants got a Broadway musical, and I didn’t even know! Of all the cartoons I’ve seen, though, I don’t think any would be better suited for Broadway than Steven Universe. The new movie Steven Universe: The Movie convinced me of that on Monday night.

It’s been two years since the events of Battle of Heart and Mind, and life seems perfect for Steven. The Diamond’s are learning to be nicer to others, the uncorrupted Gems are making a new home in Beach City, and the galaxy’s at peace. Right when Steven’s ready to live happily ever after, a new enemy emerges. Can Steven and the Crystal Gems save Earth again, and can they do it in song?

The answer to that second question’s a resounding yes. We’re treated to a a multitude of song and dance numbers the minute the curtains rise, literally. If you were to close and just listen to the music, you’d mistake Steven Universe: The Movie for a Broadway Musical. Songs are Steven Universe’s thing, so why shouldn’t the movie be a musical?

Musical Success

I liked all the songs in Steven Universe: The Movie ; I’m even listening to the entire soundtrack as I write this. From the upbeat to the tear-jerking to the hopeful, the movie covers all the bases for a musical. My favorite song, though, has to be “Other Friends,” sung by the film’s villain, Spinel. It’s chaotic and as cartoonish as the rubber-hose style Gem singing it. I especially found the contrast between the inherent silliness of Spinel’s design and the bitter and mocking tone of her voice to be entertaining. The fans think so, too: the song was trending at #4 on YouTube the day after the movie premiered.

Once you get past the awesome music and get to the heart of the movie, you’ll find that it remains faithful to the themes of Steven Universe, specifically love and change. I’ll talk more about it in my spoiler review, but the events of Steven Universe: The Movie force Steven and the Gems to accept that nothing stays the same forever. The show’s always been about change, and the movie reminds the characters of that. Being Steven Universe, it imparts these lessons through the power of catchy songs.

I’m sorry, the music’s just that good.

All in all, Steven Universe: The Movie is a musical masterpiece that more than lives up to the hype. It shows off all the charm and fun that made Steven Universe one of the most important cartoons of our time. Thanks to Cartoon Network rightfully using all its resources to promote the film, I think they got a massive hit. If you haven’t seen the film, then go watch it now wherever you can. It’s so good, I actually hope it becomes a Broadway Musical one day.

I Give Steven Universe: The Movie a 5/5. Believe in Steven

If you’ve seen the movie already, then click here to see my spoiler review where I discuss what I liked most about the film.

My Spoiler Review for Steven Universe: The Movie

Six years and five seasons since it started, and Steven Universe is an undisputed global phenomenon. It’s easy to see ehy: great characters, catchy songs and dances, and as I said in my article on the subject, it’s done a lot to help LGBT portrayals in kids cartoons. Now it’s got a hit musical film that everyone’s been talking about.

Quick Warning: there are going to spoilers ahead. So if you haven’t seen the movie, then read my spoiler free review and go see the movie.

Last Warning. Good

Two years have passed, and life’s going great for Steven Universe. The Diamonds are learning to be nicer, the uncorrupted Gems are building a home on Earth, and peace reigns across the galaxy. It seems like Steven’s days of dealing with his mom’s (many) mistakes are done.

That’s when mysterious, yet silly, new Gem called Spinel shows up, and she’s got a grudge with Pink Diamond. Before Steven can react, this new Gem’s uses a mysterious weapon to poof the Crystal Gems. When they come back out, they have none of their memories: they’re basically reset to default mode. Worse, Steven has no control over his powers at all, and there’s a giant drill pumping death poison into the planet. Now Steven has to get his friends to remember who they are and save the world, while singing!

New Look to an Old Trope

While the amnesia story may not seem wholly original, it works well considering how it’s Steven Universe. Rebecca Sugar got the idea after she accidentally reset her smartphone back in 2015. Losing her early work for the show and the photos she took with the crew made her realize how big a role our experiences play in molding who we are. Without them, we see that the Crystal Gems have little to distinguish them from the rest of Gemkind.

Luckily, Steven realizes, with some help from a now-reset Spinel, that the key is to recreate the pivotal moments in the Gems lives. It makes the movie feel like a pseudo-microcosm of the show, reminding us of where the characters started from and just how much they’ve changed in five seasons.

At its heart, I think there are two themes at the heart of Steven Universe: love, and the many forms it takes, and change. Before Steven, Gem Society was more or less static, as unchanging as the Gems were un-aging. Steven’s a Gem that can grow and change and be who he wants, which makes him so revolutionary. He’s what drives the Crystal Gems and eventually all of Gem Society to change. The movie’s a condensed version of the impact he’s had on his friends, how they’ve impacted him , and changed for the better since the show began.

Pokes A Hole in The Show’s Idealism

Steven Universe has always portrayed change as a positive thing, something to make people better. This movie pokes a giant hole in that logic with its villain, Spinel. Once a happy-go-lucky Gem, she was Pink Diamond’s best friend and playmate. When Pink got Earth, though, she didn’t just abandon her: she lied and told her to stand still until she came back. So when she found out Pink started her new life on Earth with new friends, and now no longer existed, she’s mad. So she decides to get revenge on Pink’s other friends and her son.

The show’s made it clear that Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz made a lot of mistakes and did some bad things, but this takes the cake. Steven even admits that it’s something his mom would do. Then he ends up almost doing the exact same thing. He gets Spinel to stop the drill, but then ignores her. He’s too focused on his happily ever after, and Spinel even calls him out on his selfishness.

For all the show’s focus on change, Steven’s ironically fallen into the same trap the Diamonds were in. By the time of the film, he wants things to stay that way forever. He forgot what it means to change, and thus screws up with Spinel. That almost costs him everything.

Steven Universe: The Movie’s Lesson

That, to me, is the ultimate lesson of Steven Universe: The Movie. No matter how perfect things may get, things won’t stay the same forever. Once Steven accepts that, and that there may always new hardships on the horizon, he gets his powers back.

The movie then ends how’d you expect. Spinel’s redeemed and the Diamonds adopt her since they see so much of Pink in her, Steven and the others rebuild Beach City, and everyone accepts that there will always be more challenges ahead. And I think they’re fine with that, just like I am.

Steven Universe could’ve easily ended with A Battle of Heart and Mind with everyone getting their happily ever after. Steven Universe: The Movie shows the world, though, that Rebecca Sugar and the crew are not only willing to continue the show, but they’re willing to try new things. Rebecca Sugar has more adventures planned.

Bottom line, I loved this movie, I’d pay money to see it adapted onto Broadway, and I want to see it won an Emmy next year.

I Give “Steven Universe: The Movie” a 5/5.

In one week’s time, Cartoon Network will premiere the long-awaited film Steven Universe: The Movie. Based on their now legendary show, this movie promises to be every bit as exciting and emotional as the show.

Cartoon Network’s well aware how important Steven Universe is to them, so they’ve been pulling out all the stops to promote this movie. They even let Toonami make the trailer we just saw, and Toonami’s technically a part of Adult Swim now. That shows how much this means to them. And yes, TOM, you did do the show more than enough justice. It emphasizes how much like an anime Rebecca Sugar’s hit show is.

Two years have passed since the events of Battle of Heart and Mind, and Earth is at peace. Steven’s helped to dismantle the Gem Empire, and the Gems of Earth are moving on with their lives. Everything seems perfect. Then a new Gem that looks like Jenny from Teenage Robot mixed with rubber hose shows up and starts wrecking everything! Hero time!

A Cartoon For a Generation

I may not be as enthusiastic a fan of Steven Universe as others, but I appreciate what the show stands for. I even gave it the top spot in my list of best depictions of LGBT in animation. I found it impossible to do otherwise. Years from now, I hope that historians will look back on this cartoon and see it as one of the most important cartoons of the 21st century. It’s universal messages on love and kindness resonate with millions and help people around the world. That’s something we need now more than ever in this world.

Plus, it has a lot influence from anime, and that shows how anime now rules the world.

In short, I am looking forward to this film. Just like how last year gave us the end to Adventure Time’s run on TV, this Labor Day will give us the next chapter in Steven Universe. Grab your cheeseburger backpacks, everyone!