Barbie

Stereotypical Barbie is living her best life in Barbie land, where all the different Career Barbies run the world, and all the different Kens are Just Ken. But then Barbie realises Something is Wrong with her perfect world. She consults Weird Barbie (a doll that has not fared well), who tells her she needs to go to the real world and find her owner, who is having problems. Ken goes along with her, and they find the real world is nothing like the feminist utopia they assumed.

Hijinks ensue.

This is a ratings hit, whereas I thought it was just a fun, funny, and occasionally clever film. Why?

Well, I never had a Barbie; I don't actually like the colour pink. The vapid "feminist utopia" of Barbie Land looks like my idea of hell (even for the Barbies who actually seem to be doing something meaningful). And the anti-patriarchal feminist messages in the "real world" aren't deep shocking new insights, but rather, yeah, yeah, that's what we've been saying forever.

Nevertheless, a fun, funny, and occasionally clever film

Rating: 3.5

[ unmissable | great stuff | worth watching | mind candy | waste of time | unfinishable ]

reviewed 31 December 2023