I can comfortably say that Barbie quickly became one of my most anticipated films of the year following the release of the teaser trailer late last year. What seemed like a live action Scooby-Doo style take on one of the world’s biggest toy lines seemed just irresistible, and with a stellar, star-studded cast, and the incredible talent of Greta Gerwig in the director’s chair, all signs pointed towards Barbie being great.
Even better that the publicity the film got from being up against Christopher Nolan’s WWII biopic Oppenheimer drummed up a level of excitement for people to go to the cinema that I haven’t seen in years. Now that the dust has settled on the epic Barbenheimer showdown, did Barbie deliver on its wild premise?
Since her creation in 1959, Barbie has solved all women’s issues, and brought about world peace; or at least that’s what they think in Barbieland. Where most Barbie’s in Barbieland are leaders in their fields such as President (Issa Rae), Doctor (Hari Nef), a Writer (Alexandra Shipp), or a Nobel prize winning Physisict (Emma Mackey), Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) is the original and template for all of them. She just exists, and everything is perfect for her. Meanwhile, Ken (Ryan Gosling), simply exists to earn the slightest bit of recognition from her, which puts him in stiff competition against the other Ken’s. But when Stereotypical Barbie begins to have thoughts about death, and her prefect life starts to fall apart, she is informed by Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) that she must travel to the real world, find the girl who is playing with her, and stop her feeling so sad in order to reverse the negative effects it’s having on Barbie.
But when Barbie arrives in the real world accompanied by Ken, they learn that Barbie didn’t actually solve all women’s problems, that the world isn’t run by women but instead by men using some system involving horses called the Patriarchy, and that the CEO of the Mattel corporation (Will Ferrell) is hunting them down to put them both back in their boxes. So, with the help of Sasha (Ariana Greenblat) and her mother Gloria (America Ferrera), Barbie must return to Barbieland and learn some harsh lessons about womanhood along the way.
Even better that the publicity the film got from being up against Christopher Nolan’s WWII biopic Oppenheimer drummed up a level of excitement for people to go to the cinema that I haven’t seen in years. Now that the dust has settled on the epic Barbenheimer showdown, did Barbie deliver on its wild premise?
Since her creation in 1959, Barbie has solved all women’s issues, and brought about world peace; or at least that’s what they think in Barbieland. Where most Barbie’s in Barbieland are leaders in their fields such as President (Issa Rae), Doctor (Hari Nef), a Writer (Alexandra Shipp), or a Nobel prize winning Physisict (Emma Mackey), Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) is the original and template for all of them. She just exists, and everything is perfect for her. Meanwhile, Ken (Ryan Gosling), simply exists to earn the slightest bit of recognition from her, which puts him in stiff competition against the other Ken’s. But when Stereotypical Barbie begins to have thoughts about death, and her prefect life starts to fall apart, she is informed by Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) that she must travel to the real world, find the girl who is playing with her, and stop her feeling so sad in order to reverse the negative effects it’s having on Barbie.
But when Barbie arrives in the real world accompanied by Ken, they learn that Barbie didn’t actually solve all women’s problems, that the world isn’t run by women but instead by men using some system involving horses called the Patriarchy, and that the CEO of the Mattel corporation (Will Ferrell) is hunting them down to put them both back in their boxes. So, with the help of Sasha (Ariana Greenblat) and her mother Gloria (America Ferrera), Barbie must return to Barbieland and learn some harsh lessons about womanhood along the way.
The basic concept of Barbie as a film is not too dissimilar to that of The Lego Movie, another of Warner Bros. properties strangely enough. The peace of a toy world is disrupted and so one of those toys must venture into the real world to fix the problem and thereby restore balance to their world. But the way that each film handles it couldn’t be more different. Where The Lego Movie is all about embracing your inner child and allowing your imagination to run free, Barbie is a feminist statement about women’s issues, toxic masculinity, and the patriarchy. The film may be family friendly, boasting a PG rating, but this is not a movie made for kids. Should young people be exposed to its bold and outspoken messages? Absolutely! But be warned, this isn’t just some silly kiddie film about a doll, it’s actually got some really heavy subject material propelling the narrative forward.
I’ve made the film sound all serious and depressing now, and the reality of it is that whilst the takeaway from the film is very serious, it is ultimately a family comedy, and it’s an extremely funny one at that. Kicking things off with an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey with Barbie appearing in a barren wasteland, prompting the girls around her to smash their baby dolls to pieces as they embrace Barbie as their new favourite toy, the whole thing is just so silly, and it’s this self-aware humour that really makes Barbie work so well.
The first fifteen minutes or so where we get to see a normal day in the life of Stereotypical Barbie play out is equally brilliant. She wakes up with perfect hair, puts on the perfect outfit, has breakfast despite the fact that she does not eat or drink anything (because she’s a toy…duh), then waves to her neighbourhood from the top of her dreamhouse and floats down from the roof exactly as you would if she were being played with. Along the way we’re introduced to all the various different Barbie’s and their amazing achievements, we get to meet all the Ken’s, and we get to witness an impressive choreographed dance number with the most glittery of outfits. It’s bonkers, and I just loved it. There's so much imagination used here, and all of the humour is designed around the limitations of them being toys, there’s no water at the beach it’s just a backdrop of the ocean for example. Similar to the setup of The Lego Movie, it just establishes the rules of the world so well, and they are rules that are so easy to understand because it’s just the way you would play with that toy.
I’ve made the film sound all serious and depressing now, and the reality of it is that whilst the takeaway from the film is very serious, it is ultimately a family comedy, and it’s an extremely funny one at that. Kicking things off with an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey with Barbie appearing in a barren wasteland, prompting the girls around her to smash their baby dolls to pieces as they embrace Barbie as their new favourite toy, the whole thing is just so silly, and it’s this self-aware humour that really makes Barbie work so well.
The first fifteen minutes or so where we get to see a normal day in the life of Stereotypical Barbie play out is equally brilliant. She wakes up with perfect hair, puts on the perfect outfit, has breakfast despite the fact that she does not eat or drink anything (because she’s a toy…duh), then waves to her neighbourhood from the top of her dreamhouse and floats down from the roof exactly as you would if she were being played with. Along the way we’re introduced to all the various different Barbie’s and their amazing achievements, we get to meet all the Ken’s, and we get to witness an impressive choreographed dance number with the most glittery of outfits. It’s bonkers, and I just loved it. There's so much imagination used here, and all of the humour is designed around the limitations of them being toys, there’s no water at the beach it’s just a backdrop of the ocean for example. Similar to the setup of The Lego Movie, it just establishes the rules of the world so well, and they are rules that are so easy to understand because it’s just the way you would play with that toy.
I don’t want to spoil too much but the main conflict of the story which places Barbieland under threat is so brilliant. The explorations of how a patriarchy systematically destroys everything about women, from what they do, think, wear, achieve, own, and say, and they are so brilliantly explored because Barbie and Ken have no understanding of what a patriarchy is, how it works, or what the ramifications are. It allows such a complex and painful topic to be approached with the eyes of a child, broken down and simplified to its most basic elements and that’s when the message is most effective, because it highlights just how destructive and harmful a system it is.
The one area of the plot I did feel was a bit tacked on was the Mattel executives. I understood why they were brought into the story, to highlight how a brand like Barbie that’s supposed to empower women, is ultimately controlled by a bunch of men who don’t actually care about women. But they kept cropping up as a threat by trying to hunt Barbie down, and they were always gone long enough for me to forget that they were a part of the story, only to be brought back for a gag, and then swiftly forgotten about again for fifteen to twenty minutes. I felt that following the initial joke at the Mattel headquarters where they try to capture Barbie, they should have been swiftly done away with to allow the main plot of the story to flourish.
All of the cast are brilliant, and I mean every single one of them. If Barbie and Oppenheimer can say anything it’s that they’ve both had some of the strongest performances of the year from some big names. Supporting characters like Simu Liu’s Ken, McKinnin’s Weird Barbie, and Greenblat’s Sophie are all very strong. Gosling is really brilliant here in what may be one of his best performances ever. He hits every single beat without hesitation, whether it be a line, a pose, or a stare. But the fact that he’s only the third most impressive performance in the film is really saying something because he’s genuinely on fire here. Ferrera delivers one of the most powerful female performances I’ve ever seen in a comedy film, and I am not seeing enough love for her online. This woman is easily in the running for my favourite supporting actress this year, and that speech she delivers near the film’s climax gave me chills. But then there’s Robbie, and I mean this shouldn’t come as a surprise because she’s without a doubt one of the best actresses in Hollywood right now, but she is the glue that holds this crazy film together, and the rage she displays from Barbie’s character arc is insane. Her and Ferrera are a powerhouse couple here and for a film that champions women as much as Barbie does, it makes me so happy to say that the two main female characters in the film deliver such phenomenal performances. They almost have no right being this good, I mean this is a film based on a toy! But I’m so happy that they blew me away and I feel they really sold the entire ethos of this film.
The one area of the plot I did feel was a bit tacked on was the Mattel executives. I understood why they were brought into the story, to highlight how a brand like Barbie that’s supposed to empower women, is ultimately controlled by a bunch of men who don’t actually care about women. But they kept cropping up as a threat by trying to hunt Barbie down, and they were always gone long enough for me to forget that they were a part of the story, only to be brought back for a gag, and then swiftly forgotten about again for fifteen to twenty minutes. I felt that following the initial joke at the Mattel headquarters where they try to capture Barbie, they should have been swiftly done away with to allow the main plot of the story to flourish.
All of the cast are brilliant, and I mean every single one of them. If Barbie and Oppenheimer can say anything it’s that they’ve both had some of the strongest performances of the year from some big names. Supporting characters like Simu Liu’s Ken, McKinnin’s Weird Barbie, and Greenblat’s Sophie are all very strong. Gosling is really brilliant here in what may be one of his best performances ever. He hits every single beat without hesitation, whether it be a line, a pose, or a stare. But the fact that he’s only the third most impressive performance in the film is really saying something because he’s genuinely on fire here. Ferrera delivers one of the most powerful female performances I’ve ever seen in a comedy film, and I am not seeing enough love for her online. This woman is easily in the running for my favourite supporting actress this year, and that speech she delivers near the film’s climax gave me chills. But then there’s Robbie, and I mean this shouldn’t come as a surprise because she’s without a doubt one of the best actresses in Hollywood right now, but she is the glue that holds this crazy film together, and the rage she displays from Barbie’s character arc is insane. Her and Ferrera are a powerhouse couple here and for a film that champions women as much as Barbie does, it makes me so happy to say that the two main female characters in the film deliver such phenomenal performances. They almost have no right being this good, I mean this is a film based on a toy! But I’m so happy that they blew me away and I feel they really sold the entire ethos of this film.
Perhaps the thing I love the most about Barbie however is the production design. Barbieland is just an incredible feat of set design, and it looks amazing, no matter how it’s framed. It really feels like a toy world brought to life with its illogical geometry, bright pastel colours, and cardboard backdrops. The costumes are just gorgeous too. Every single Barbie rocks some of the most glamourous and visually exciting costumes I have seen on film in a long time, and all of them are based on actual clothing sets sold for Barbie dolls which I just love.
The Ken’s all look great too, and I may have to take note of a style tip or two for when I beach this summer. The way this then contrasts to the real world with its muted colour palette and industrial landscapes is inspired. The longer we spent in Barbieland, the more I wanted to live there.
The soundtrack is also pretty incredible. Featuring some of the biggest female music artists around right now, you’ve got songs from Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Nicki Minaj just to name a few. Every single one is a total banger and they’re all used in the film really well. This is absolutely a soundtrack I’m going to be listening to on repeat for a long time, and similar to the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, I think Barbie’s soundtrack may be a mainstay of pop culture for a long time to come.
Despite what the Barbie’s in the film believe, Barbie (the film) isn’t perfect, it won’t change the world overnight, and women will continue to suffer at the hands of men for a long time to come. But I hope that this film makes a large enough cultural impact to inspire change, to make the world a better place for women. It sounds rich coming from a man, I honestly wondered whether I should have an opinion about this film. But I’m really glad that a film like Barbie exists, it holds a mirror up to the world and shows us exactly what’s wrong with it and simple ways we can fix it, whilst also being a damn good film at the same time. I’m sure a lot of people won’t be fans of the film’s outspoken feminist attitudes, but I for one am on board. Go see it and go support it, films like this don’t happen often and to make a difference we really need more like it.
The Ken’s all look great too, and I may have to take note of a style tip or two for when I beach this summer. The way this then contrasts to the real world with its muted colour palette and industrial landscapes is inspired. The longer we spent in Barbieland, the more I wanted to live there.
The soundtrack is also pretty incredible. Featuring some of the biggest female music artists around right now, you’ve got songs from Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Nicki Minaj just to name a few. Every single one is a total banger and they’re all used in the film really well. This is absolutely a soundtrack I’m going to be listening to on repeat for a long time, and similar to the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, I think Barbie’s soundtrack may be a mainstay of pop culture for a long time to come.
Despite what the Barbie’s in the film believe, Barbie (the film) isn’t perfect, it won’t change the world overnight, and women will continue to suffer at the hands of men for a long time to come. But I hope that this film makes a large enough cultural impact to inspire change, to make the world a better place for women. It sounds rich coming from a man, I honestly wondered whether I should have an opinion about this film. But I’m really glad that a film like Barbie exists, it holds a mirror up to the world and shows us exactly what’s wrong with it and simple ways we can fix it, whilst also being a damn good film at the same time. I’m sure a lot of people won’t be fans of the film’s outspoken feminist attitudes, but I for one am on board. Go see it and go support it, films like this don’t happen often and to make a difference we really need more like it.