History WesternAnimation / TheEmojiMovie

!!This film provides examples of:

[[folder:A-H]]

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Gene is looked down upon among his fellow emojis because of his ability to make multi-facial expressions. And just like in the song, he only gains full acceptance once his quirk becomes useful. Interestingly enough, many Emojis don't see this kind of behaviour as abnormal. There's also a section in phones for dozens of emojis that either no one uses or are just misfits in general.

* AnAesop: Probably one of the most message-heavy recent films. BeYourself along with [[BrokenAesop don't value freedom.]] There is also a [[{{UsefulNotes/Feminism}} feminist message,]] a message [[GoodParents about how to be a supportive parent,]] an IndecisiveParody of [[PhoneaholicTeenager Phoneaholic Teenagers,]] a lesson about not being a [[ItsAllAboutMe narcissistic jerk to everyone,]] a subtle GayAesop and to top it off, we get a good helping of ProductPlacement.

** Mel and Mary shout this as they [[spoiler: throw themselves in front of Gene as Smiler's bot prepares to delete him. In contrast to Mel's which is loud and serious, Mary's is rather slow and drawn out, of the SlowNo kind.]]

-->'''Poop:''' No. Go ahead. Finish that sentence.

* DaydreamSurprise: When Jailbreak lines Gene up with the yellow candies to see if that frees him, it seems he exploded and she and Hi-5 scream...then it turns out to be just a daydream as she is distracted.

** Jailbreak's outfit and personality are very reminiscent of [[WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie Wyldstyle]]. Others have noted similarities in appearance to that of [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrange Chloe Price]] and [[VideoGame/{{Overwatch}} Sombra]]. [[spoiler: On top of that, she's highly derivative of [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Vanellope]]; a tough-talking female misfit who can hack the code of the electronic setting, and is secretly a princess.]]

* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: [[spoiler: Akiko Glitter screams and claws for her life as she is deleted. She is later shown in the trash, weeping, and is presumably erased from existence at midnight.]] Sweet dreams, children!

** There are a few unnoticeable hints that [[spoiler: Mel is a malfunction just like Gene]]:

* FourLinesAllWaiting: Count the subplots. Gene [[IJustWantToBeNormal trying to conform]] and later learning to [[BeYourself be himself.]] Jailbreak understanding that she shouldn't value freedom. Hi-5 learning to stop being a [[ItsAllAboutMe narcissistic jerk.]] And while this is going on, we Smiler's bots are hunting down Gene, Alex is trying to ask Addie to the school dance and Gene's parents are having relationship issues.

** Two of the emoji girls showcased in the DancePartyEnding are clearly meant to be ''Playboy bunnies.'' Have fun explaining that one to your kids, dads!

[[folder:I-Y]]

* InformedAbility: Jailbreak is supposed to be a superb hacker, but at no point in the movie do we actually see her display any sophisticated hacking abilities. Her two greatest displays of "hacking" ability in the movie - (guessing the password to Alex's firewall and deprogramming the bot to save Gene at the end) - are upstaged by ''[[TheLoad Hi-5]]'' of all people. Arguably this could be foreshadowing for the plot twist that [[spoiler: she's actually a princess emoji, not a hacker emoji]], but that's probably giving the writers far too much credit.

* IsThisThingStillOn: When Smiler invites Gene back to the ampitheater:
-->'''Smiler''': Hi Gene, remember me, Smiler? I'm coming to you live from the ampitheater. Why don't you come back to Textopolis and we can talk through our differences, okay? My friend here will escort you, all right? I'm gonna see you soon, buddy. Bye now. [''thinking the camera was turned off''] We're actually gonna delete him in front of everyone.\\
'''Smiler's assistant''' [''whispers to Smiler'']: Psst, it's still on.\\
'''Smiler''': It's still ''what''? Oh, Jiminy Sassafras!
* IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight: [[spoiler:Jailbreak manages to pull one on Gene, convincing him to return to what he truly is in order to save the phone.]]

* LevelAte: The ''[[VideoGame/CandyCrushSaga Candy Crush]]'' scene.
* LimitedAnimation

* LostAesop: Good luck trying to discern what we were meant to learn. Is [[BeYourself being yourself]] all about standing out in society, not caring what others think, or does it mean conforming to societal expectations and never changing your identity? The latter ties into [[{{UsefulNotes/Feminism}} the feminist lesson.]] Jailbreak is at first meant to be an independent minded female character who rejected the sexism of Textopolis, [[RealWomenDontWearDresses and forms her identity around this.]] And then we run into the lesson about not valuing freedom, which apparently means that she should fully embrace those exact same sexist gender roles.

* MoralDissonance: The movie works hard to make sure you understand that Gene's an innocent victim and Smiler is a despicable control-freak dictator, despite the fact that ''everything she says about him is correct.'' Gene is not only directly responsible for the destruction of multiple apps, and for Alex wanting to wipe his phone, but he actually passes up several attempts to repair the damage he's caused (like when he [[spoiler: leaves Akiko Glitter to die with the trolls,]] despite the fact that it was ''his fault'' she was there in the first place).

* NeverSayDie: Instead of ordering the main characters "killed," Smiler orders them "deleted." Which is probably substituted for "die" in the smartphone world.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Gene's search to find the ability to just make simply ''one emotion'' actually results in several apps getting deleted and [[spoiler: the entire phone getting erased temporarily.]]

* OhMyGods: Jailbreak says "Sweet motherboard" at one point in the film, and Smiler says "Jiminy Sassafrass."

* OpeningMonologue: Gene gives one at the beginning of the film, introducing Textopolis and the emojis that live there, and explaining that he's a malfunction.

* PlotHole:
** A glaring one is that Hi-5 knew where to find a hacker and didn't previously try contacting her to change his code, even though he had no qualms with leaving Textopolis.
* ProductPlacement: Not just for the emoji icons[[note]]Emojis themselves aren't copyrighted since they are just a specification but the depictions can be, similar to how you can copyright your drawing of a smiley face but not the idea of smiley faces themselves[[/note]], but also for the real life phone apps that appear in the film including Website/{{Facebook}}, Website/YouTube, Website/{{Twitter}}, Shazam, and more. There's even [[UpToEleven whole sequences dedicated entirely to]] ''VideoGame/CandyCrushSaga'' and ''VideoGame/JustDance'', and Dropbox is a crucial plot point.
* 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.

* ReallyRoyaltyReveal: [[spoiler:During ''VideoGame/JustDance'', Jailbreak’s hair and hat fly off her head exposing brunette hair with a crown, revealing she’s really a princess emoji.]]

* RealWomenDontWearDresses: [[spoiler:Originally a princess emoji, Jailbreak despises the gender roles associated with them. This causes her to define her life in opposition to femininity, even down to rejecting romance. She seems to revert back to the exact opposite role by the film's end.]]
* RapidFireNo: By Gene as he is freaking out while Hi-5 and Jailbreak are trying to rescue him from ''Candy Crush''. Later by Hi-5 when Alex's appointment approaches and he prepares to delete the phone.

* SkewedPriorities: Their world is about to come to an end, so they debate societal norms instead of trying to find a last minute solution. Also, you would also think that Smiler would have exclaimed that she was right all along instead of just shouting that Emojis must not make more than one face.

* StepfordSmiler: Smiler even smiles when she is angry.

* StumbledIntoThePlot: Hi-5 became the secondary protagonist as Gene bumped into him and a [[PoorCommunicationKills bit of miscommuniation]] led to him mistakenly thinking he's being chased by deletion bots.

* ThreeTwoOne: [[spoiler: Jailbreak says this at the end of the film as Gene is being scanned for Alex's text message and shows off his multiple expressions.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Smiler tries to delete Gene because she sees him as an existential threat to the safety of Textopolis.

* VocalDissonance: Jailbreak's high pitched voice doesn't match her [[RealWomenDontWearDresses generic tough girl archetype.]] [[JustifiedTrope Justfied]] because [[spoiler: she was originally a princess Emoji who took on a different persona. This makes perfect sense, but this actually resulted from a casting change.]]
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Gene's special ability.

And remember kids, words aren't cool.

Apart from an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is also accused of being so much of an UnintentionalPeriodPiece that it was out of date shortly before its release -- Sony had just released its new brand of Emojis, making all the characters in the movie effectively RetroUniverse.

''The Emoji Movie'' is a 3D [[AllCGICartoon CGI]] film produced by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation and distributed by Creator/ColumbiaPictures, released on July 28, 2017 (originally set for August 4th). It is the second theatrical film to be directed by Tony Leondis (known for ''WesternAnimation/{{Igor}}'' and the direct-to-video ''Disney/LiloAndStitch2StitchHasAGlitch''). The film centers largely around the UsefulNotes/{{emojis}} in cell phones.

** Jailbreak's outfit and personality are very reminiscent of [[WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie Wyldstyle]]. Others have noted similarities in appearance to that of [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrange Chloe Price]] and [[VideoGame/{{Overwatch}} Sombra]]. [[spoiler: On top of that, she's highly derivative of [[Disney/WreckItRalph Vanellope]]; a tough-talking female misfit who can hack the code of the electronic setting, and is secretly a princess.]]

** The movie is ''Disney/WreckItRalph'' [-IN A PHONE!-]

->''"The world we live in, it's so wonderous, mysterious, even magical. No, n-n-not ''that'' world...I meant ''this'' one: the smartphone. Each system and programmed app is its own little planet of perfect technology. All providing services so necessary, so crucial, so unbelievably profound."''

* GoryDescretionShot: When Gene is lined up with the yellows the first time, he is not actually seen when he explodes and his remains splat over Jailbreak and Hi-5. Luckily, it was just a daydream.

-->-- '''Gene's OpeningMonologue'''

** Jailbreak hates sexism and gender stereotypes because [[spoiler: she was once a princess emoji, and female emojis are only allowed to be princesses]]. Except that the film showcases ''multiple'' examples of female emojis who aren't tied to a gender-specific role, including Smiler and Gene's mom.

** The movie is ''Disney/WreckItRalph'' [-IN A PHONE!-]!
** The emojis are [[WesternAnimation/InsideOut Riley's emotions]] [-IN EMOJI FORM-]! And Textopolis is Headquarters [-IN A SMARTPHONE APP-]!
** Jailbreak is [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrange Chloe Price]] [-AS AN EMOJI-]!

** Emojis are not confined to SMS apps like the film seems to imply. All they are are blocks of Unicode, meaning that to a computer there is no difference between a 😒 and a 'A' and can be placed anywhere that has a text field.

* IncrediblyLamePun: This movie's main source of attempted comedy.

* IndividualityIsIllegal: Textopolis is a world where facial Emojis expressing a range of emotions [[IncrediblyLamePun is frowned upon]] and can even get them deleted.

''The Emoji Movie'' is a 3D [[AllCGICartoon CGI]] film produced by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation and distributed by Creator/ColumbiaPictures, released on July 28, 2017 (originally set for August 4th). It is the second theatrical film to be directed by Tony Leondis (known for ''WesternAnimation/{{Igor}}'' and the direct-to-video ''Disney/LiloAndStitch2StitchHasAGlitch''). The film centers largely around the {{emoticon}}s called emojis.

* ProductPlacement: Not just for the emoji icons[[note]]Technically, the emojis themselves aren't copyrighted, since they are as much a part of Unicode as the letter "A". However, they can be licensed to various companies like Apple and Samsung, who then can copyright them. Thus, it's Apple's specific implementation the movie seems to be endorsing.[[/note]], but also for the real life phone apps that appear in the film including Website/{{Facebook}}, Website/YouTube, Website/{{Twitter}}, Shazam, and more. There's even [[UpToEleven whole sequences dedicated entirely to]] ''VideoGame/CandyCrushSaga'' and ''VideoGame/JustDance'', and Dropbox is a crucial plot point.

** Emojis are not confined to SMS apps like the film seems to imply. All they are are blocks of Unicode, and can be placed anywhere that has a text field.

** As noted by more than a few reviewers, smartphones do not have Firewalls!

Apart from an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is also accused of being ''so'' {{Zeerust}} that it was out of date shortly before its release (Sony had just released its new brand of Emojis, making all the characters in the movie effectively RetroUniverse).

* RecycledInSpace: A number of people who say from the trailers started calling it different JustForFun/XMeetsY variations including:
** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'' '''[-WITH EMOJIS!-]'''
** ''Disney/WreckItRalph'' '''[-BUT IN A PHONE!-]'''
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Foodfight}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/SausageParty'' '''[-WITH APPS AND IN A SMARTPHONE!-]'''
** ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' '''[-WITH APPS INSTEAD OF HOLIDAYS!-]'''

* AnAesop: Probably one of the [[{{Anvilicious}} most message heavy recent films.]] BeYourself along with [[BrokenAesop don't value freedom.]] There is also a [[{{UsefulNotes/Feminism}} feminist message,]] a message [[GoodParents about how to be a supportive parent,]] an IndecisiveParody of [[PhoneaholicTeenager Phoneaholic Teenagers,]] a lesson about not being a [[ItsAllAboutMe narcissistic jerk to everyone,]] a subtle GayAesop and to top it off, we get a good helping of ProductPlacement.

* CluelessAesop: People don't usually want smartphones that [[BeYourself be themselves,]] they want phones that promptly follow their commands at all times. Thus, the movie presents [[CosmicHorrorStory an environment]] where it makes sense for Smiler to want Gene deleted for a relatively small transgression. And yet the movie never truly calls out this system based entirely around serving an owner, despite the fact that the Emojis were momentarily deleted.
** Also, a film filled with constant ProductPlacement is a terrible way to get across social commentary about smartphones.

* DancePartyEnding: [[ClicheStorm Of course this movie would have one.]] It's worth noting, however, that there's another dance-heavy sequence in the middle of the movie.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: A very literal case. See CurseCutShort above.
** In a rare, non-ToiletHumour related example, two of the emoji girls showcased in the DancePartyEnding are clearly meant to be ''Playboy bunnies.'' Have fun explaining that one to your kids, dads!

* MoralDissonance: The movie works ''[[{{Anvilicious}} really]]'' hard to make sure you understand that Gene's an innocent victim and Smiler is a despicable control-freak dictator, despite the fact that ''everything she says about him is correct.'' Gene is not only directly responsible for the destruction of multiple apps, and for Alex wanting to wipe his phone, but he actually passes up several attempts to repair the damage he's caused (like when he [[spoiler: leaves Akiko Glitter to die with the trolls,]] despite the fact that it was ''his fault'' she was there in the first place).

* StealthPun: Gene is literally TheHeroWithAThousandFaces.

* TotallyRadical: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjwJTVaaJzA#t=11m57s They actually tried to avoid falling into this trope by speeding up the production time.]] We all know how that turned out.

*** While Mel and Mary are in the YouTube app and Mel notices the bots, he looks somewhat purely shocked rather than unamused.

* TheInternetIsForCats: In the YouTube app, some anti-virus bots are bowing to a video of a cat.

** In a rare, non-ToiletHumor related example, two of the emoji girls showcased in the DancePartyEnding are clearly meant to be ''Playboy bunnies.'' Have fun explaining that one to your kids, dads!

* ToiletHumor: Poop -- voiced by ''Creator/PatrickStewart'' -- is a major character who lives and breathes this trope. Also, he has a son, and after they use the bathroom, they make a joke about washing their hands, before laughing it off and chanting "We're number two!"