Barbie Movie Review: Not for children. May contain adult hazards.
Great extended, bigger budget SNL skit
Rating: 7 out of 10
Barbie is rated PG-13, but really this movie is targeted at adults who grew up with Barbie. When I watched the movie in a packed theater, it was mostly adult women and some teenagers. If you weren't tipped off by the Barbie trailer featuring Ken (played by Ryan Gosling) and Ken (played by Simon Liu) talking about beaching each other off, there's a lot of adult humor in this movie. The plot, however, becomes somewhat confusing with almost every character being named Barbie and Ken.
If you enjoy SNL skits, this movie felt very much like an extended, bigger budgeted SNL skit featuring SNL alumni Kate McKinnon and Will Ferrell. Speaking of Will Ferrell, he pretty much plays the same character of Lord Business from "The Lego Movie."
If you are looking for a movie to take young children to, I wouldn't recommend this movie, which is a shame because this movie had the potential of being a family-friendly outing.
Spoiler Alert Zone: Continue at your own peril!
In the first half of the film, Barbie faces an existential threat as her perfect hot pink world collides with her owner's negative emotions, such as fear of death, cellulite, and depression, causing a rift between Barbie's universe and reality.
After speaking with "weird" Barbie (played by Kate McKinnon), Barbie sets off to travel to the real world to cheer up her owner with Ken tagging along for the ride.
When it comes to Ryan Gosling's portrayal of Ken, he assumes the title of Barbie's "boyfriend," but their relationship seems to be merely a façade. Despite Ken's deep affection for Barbie, she doesn't reciprocate his love and consistently rejects his advances. The narrator even points out that while Barbie's days are always perfect, Ken's happiness hinges on her acknowledgment. This dynamic creates a poignant example of unrequited love. As a devoted fan of Ryan Gosling and his impressive roles in movies like The Big Short, Gray Man, Blade Runner 2049, La La Land, and The Notebook, it appears that his characters often struggle to find a happy ending in their romantic pursuits.
The film continues with a "fish-out-of-water" scenario as Barbie and Ken encounter the stark differences between Barbie's perfect world and our reality dominated by patriarchy. Visions guide Barbie to her owner, while Ken discovers that he is well respected in the real world, but is still rejected from roles such as doctor or even lifeguard due to his lack of education and ability to swim.
During the confrontation with her owner, Barbie is overwhelmed with emotion and reduced to tears. Her owner and her entourage lecture Barbie that she is no longer relevant, has led to body shaming and even accuse her of being a facist.
Pause for a moment and reflect. Labeling a product from a multi-million-dollar capitalist corporation as fascist may not reflect well on our current education system.
Here comes the unexpected twist: the real owner is not the kid, but rather the mother. The film delves into how the mother's negative emotions have been the root cause of the conflict between worlds. However, before the situation can be resolved, Barbie is intercepted by a group of corporate Mattel figures in black Chevy Tahoes. I mention Chevy Tahoes because this movie plays out like an extended GM ad also featuring the Chevy EV Blazer and General Motors EV Hummer.
As Ken witnesses Barbie being taken away, he decides to go back to Barbieland where he wants to bring back the idea of patriarchy. Upon his return, Ken brainwashes all the Barbies to embrace a patriarchal belief system that centers around relying on men, which leads to an uprising of Kens.
After a daring escape from the Mattel corporate headquarters, where Will Ferrell attempts to confine Barbie back into her box, Barbie is saved by Chevy EV Blazer driving mother and daughter. Together, they embark on a journey back to Barbieland, aiming to address the unfolding issues.
Upon their return, they are confronted with the surprising Ken uprising. While having a male dominated world isn't ideal, having a female dominated world also isn't perfect as all the Kens are reduced to secondary citizens. Instead of recognizing that two extremes don't make a right, Barbie plots to fix things by unbrainwashing the other Barbies through lecturing (directed at the audience) and turning the Kens against each other through feigning their love and igniting jealousy.
While I may not be the intended audience for this movie, I strongly believe that winning someone over doesn't involve lecturing or preaching about aspects they can't control, such as gender, sexuality, or race. Rather, true understanding comes from inclusion and embracing diversity.
I appreciate the movie's efforts to feature diverse Barbies with various races, body types, and backgrounds, including the representation of a trans-actress. However, the key to fostering genuine connection lies in including others, making them feel valued and understood.
In the words of the Dalai Lama, "I defeat my enemies when I make them my friends." Instead of imposing views or ideals forcefully, building bridges of understanding and empathy can lead to true unity and a more harmonious world. Embracing one another's differences and perspectives can be the path towards mutual respect and cooperation.
Amidst mounting jealousy, the Kens engage in a fierce "beach off," utilizing sports equipment as their weapons. However, their heated rivalry distracts them from the crucial task of voting to change the Constitution. As a result, the Barbies take charge, by restoring the Constitution and relegating the Kens back to secondary citizens. The Barbies emerge victorious, prompting celebrations.
In a heartfelt moment, Ken confesses his love for Barbie, expressing that there's no Ken without Barbie. He believes he is "made for" her. However, Barbie rebuffs his advances yet again, insisting that he needs to find his own identity and purpose, which wouldn't be so depressing until you realize that Ken is literarlly made for Barbie.
In the past, cartoons that revolved around toy sales often carried important moral lessons for children. For instance, shows like G.I. Joe emphasized that Knowing Was Half the Battle, while Masters of the Universe offered story recaps with underlying messages.
Given that this movie is about a toy aimed at children, I had hoped it would incorporate a more impactful story, one that would explore themes like the importance of empathy, family relationships, admitting one's own faults and becoming a better person. The movie fails to make the leap from "just watch it on the airplane" to "buy this movie on Blu-ray" due to its shallowness and failure to deliver any kind of meaningful message or teaching. Instead of becoming a groundbreaking movie for a legacy toy brand akin to The Lego Movie, which appeals to both parents and children alike, Barbie misses the mark by relying to heavily on memeable moments aimed at adults rather than capitalizing on its full potential.
The movie goes off the rails when Barbie wishes to become a real human and enter our world. Moreover, Barbie's first actions in the real world is focused on her immediate visit to a gynecologist appointment, which feels like a throwaway SNL skit ending. Definitely not a children-friendly ending and I wonder how many parents had to explain what a gynecologist was after the credits starting rolling.
Don’t forget to comment with your thoughts about the movie below!
Comments
Post a Comment