Movie Review: Barbie

 Anthony’s notice: This review is posted during SAG-AFTRA strike against AMPTP, meaning many major reviewers (commonly on Youtube) are either in delays, halts or having a limited review. But as for me, I wasn’t part of the SAG-AFTRA, since im working on a thrift store (though my vacation will coming to an end, as im writing this), meaning im a minor reviewer in DA that i won’t be effected from the strike to call “Promoting AMPTP products” (so I thought), since reviews are meant to sharing our thoughts of any medias like movies, TV shows, video games, etc. Of course, we shall be supportive to actors and writers for their solidarity in movies and TVs industries. Thank you.

Whew, boy… What a movie, man...

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my Movie Review.

You know, for last couple years, we’ve seen a couple of movies based on toys ever since the success of The Lego Movie, which like I said, I had a blast of watching The Lego Movie, though the second one didn’t turned out well. Anyway, since its popularity, many studios are pretty much decided to cashing in on like Dreamworks’ Trolls, which someone becoming a franchise, including a recent upcoming the 3rd one this year, and even one of the worst movie I’ve ever watched back in 2019, Playmobile The Movie. But, it wasn’t just animated movie, there’s also live action movies like Masters of the Universe in 1987, and Michael Bay’s Transformers (yet like Trolls, it became a series that its getting tired since Fast and FAMILY). But then there’s one that I pretty much questioning its existence that I had to find out since we saw the teasers and trailers.

“Barbie” is a 2023 fantasy comedy film that was written/directed by Greta Gerwig, produced by David Heyman, Margot Robbie (Yup, Harley isn’t only acting, but also producing), Tom Ackerley, and Robbie Brenner.

The idea of a movie based on Barbie has been lost and canned for many years since many people or even Mattel wanted to have a movie based on a popular dolls for girls, which it began all the way back in 2009. Laurence Mark wanted to have a movie based on Barbie with Universal Pictures, but that idea didn’t turned out. 5 years later, Sony stepped in to making their own take of Barbie, but the script has been rewritten all over the place with changing writers, including the writer of Spider-Man movies, Amy Pascal, and even this boringly unfunny stand-up comedian name “Amy Schumer” wanted to try it out, but left over creative differences, which is good because considering I saw the clips of her, she’s so lame…! But unsurprisingly, that project didn’t turned out after the IP contract has expired. But it wouldn’t be until in October of 2018, Warner Bros bought the right to make their own to what we got here today. Not only that in interesting part, this movie came out the same time as Oppenheimer, leaving people made a trend “Barbenheimer” to see which one is better. If you ask me, yes, il review Oppenheimer next time.

So with all that said, will Barbie likes for being in sunshine and sparkles to be on a big screen, or is Barbie facing a reality consequences?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

At first, you think that this movie is about Barbie curiously interacting real world after living in her world? Well, its kinda like it.

The movie begins on its origin (briefly) where many years ago, many girls used to play with baby dolls (though we still have baby dolls to this day), but everything changed when Mattel gave us the new doll that changes girly dolls forever, Barbie. With Barbie success it somehow created an imagination world simply called “Barbieland”, a world with society of ladies to be self-confident, self-sufficient and success, whereas counterpart called “Ken” are spending their own activities, unless engaging relationship with various Barbies. Around the same time of introduction, we meet the main Barbie (aka “Stereotypical Barbie”) who lives in fun ordinary like to hanging with Barbie friends, though when she meets the main Ken (aka Beach Ken), she wasn’t in a mood of relationship with him. But once after she accidentally asking when she’s gonna die, things isn’t exactly the same as yesterday, complete her feet standing flat and having Cellulite (which is like if the skin gets wrinkled), she asked the abominated Barbie (aka Weird Barbie) to finding out the secret between her and real world, its up to Barbie (and Ken out of nowhere) to jumping into real world at Venice Beach to find the answer about herself.

This may sounds like a dumb story about Barbie jumping into real world for interaction, but this movie goes full on meta for telling its history at some parts to revealing about Barbie’s secret how she’s in existential crisis. Hence the message of the movie is similar to us that not everything about is isn’t the same perfection as we used to. When it comes to Barbie, its gonna be her turn to having a crisis that she’s no longer perfect what it used to, mainly we used to love her, but losing out touch to her, either being we’re moving on, or rather, in my controversial take, having a fashion Barbie with sexy appeal to becoming a role model, I know it may sounds like it im making a bad take for body shaming, but its just that despite she has legacy, but it can be dated for the beauty and also comparing her body similar to people with eating disorder like anorexic (oh god…!). But look, like always, I’ve nothing against women, I always appreciated for being pretty or sexy, but sometimes if you wanna like to be Barbie, just be nice and clean to be beautiful with fashion clothing, again, even if nothing everything isn’t perfect these days, instead of taking an extreme plastic surgery to be imitator of Barbie like shrinking the waist (Like seriously, don’t spend money on that, its messed up…!). While its nice for its message and the meta element about trying to be perfect and its no longer the same what it used to, even if the execution is kinda dumb, but its the good kind of dumb way that its rather entertaining. Speaking of entertaining, it also has its humor, again, its dumb, but hilarious at the same time, ranging from some line or even the delivery, especially with Ken it maybe me spits of laughter. However, while some are funny, but they can be hit or miss, especially with the latter that they obviously took some cliché jokes like pop culture references and even the unusual 4th wall breaking.

Even though its pretty dumb for the idea, but its rather entertaining and relatable how not everything isn’t the same as what it used to, while the jokes are either miss or chuckle worthy from some lines or even acting delivery.

The Presentation

The movie’s budget costs estimated $128–145M, it may sounds like it looks cheap, but it looks pretty good.

The filming location are done with two things, the filming real world and the set in Barbieland. For starter, the location is probably nice fit to have Barbie and Ken exploring in Venice Beach, California. The Mattel’s headquarter is obviously made fictional on set, which my only guess they don’t wanna film the actual Mattel’s headquarter to disturbing their businesses of toy brands, though I find the hall way part are fascinating, though it makes me wondering what if she accidentally opens a wrong door that she ends up entering the world of Hot Wheels, but that’s just me.

Speaking of sets, the highlight of the filming is the set of Barbieland, and… Man, that’s a lotta pink in Barbie’s homeland. This is like Aqua’s Barbie Girl set comes to life on a big screen, especially with plenty of sets that are based on actual Barbie toys, if some of you are familiar with, but sure there are some are completely original, even though it is all made in our pure imagination, like even if you like play toys, we see some are too imaginative like there’s no water from the shower or in a cardboard gallon of milk, same can be said at the beach that its all modeled without… You know, water, but again, imagination. Which I will give a credit that it is based on Barbie Dreamhouse with mid-century modernism.

As for the designs, like I said, they’re obviously replicated from Barbie toys with plastic and colorful look, like man, aside of pinks, they’re pretty colorful with to feel like a girl version of toyland with small Corvettes, some cute medium houses without walls, and plenty others in its imagination. But of course, I will also highlighting some clothes, they’re look pretty good to replicated Barbie’s small clothing, including referencing the first Barbie model, with stripe one-piece swimsuit since 1959.

Surprisingly, the effects are all done practical without the CG, though there are one minimal of hand drawn effect, but its done practically from floating down from invisible wires, driving a miniature Corvette to even traveling from Barbieland to real world from Corvette model to weird transition of various trips like rocket, boat, camping van and others, which il give an appreciation for the practical effect.

However, one thing that I pointed it out is the product placement, im not talking about Barbie nor Mattel, its already adapted, im talking about the product placement that we got noticed to see to selling out like Chevrolet with the aforementioned Corvette as well as Chevy’s new car that you’ve seen one in commercial, or the most over-the-top pick is the GMC Hummer EV, and boy it showed not just in a movie, but also use in Forza Horizon 5. And the same could be said with fashion clothing brand that they include called “Chanel”. (“Its like people actually do things because they get paid. And that’s just really sad.”)

The movie’s presentation is pretty good without the use of computer, just a good’ol saving budget of practical effects, colorful designs, nice clothing and a pretty good set designs. Aside of distracting product placement, all because Barbie drives the 1956 Chevy Corvette.

The Characters

Aside the movie’s sets being a highlight, the characters are more highlighted about the familiar actors, did they made likable characters? Probably or not.

Lets start with Barbie, aka Stereotypical Barbie (played by Margot Robbie), the main and probably the original Barbie who likes to be perfect for her pretty look, hanging with her friends and partying any girls do, but once her question of death came, it made her going down from hill for losing her standing and having gynoid problem. As a result, she’s coming desperate to be perfect to know why its no longer the same as what she used to. I find her fairly descent, even if she just wants to going back to be perfect, but changing is always gotta be an obstacles that she wants to know how or why is it happening, which it obviously made her to be related how changing is, again, an obstacle for new path, especially dealing with existential crisis. As always, Margot Robbie did a great job of her performance, but again, she certainly deserves better than the boringly untalented and unfunny comedian actor Amy Schumer.

Anyway, next up is main Ken, aka Beach Ken (played by Ryan Gosling), he’s meant to be love interest of main Barbie like we’ve plenty of times with dolls. But here, he’s obviously being stuck in friend-zone, making him look desperate for attention, until he gets interesting once he first seeing the real world. I gotta say, I find him quite possibly the funniest character in the movie, instead being a stereotypical handsome and charming man to looking for Barbie, he’s kinda going crazy when something isn’t going on the way, this is definitely the delivery from Ryan Gosling, like he way he acts easily made me laugh for his selling, not only he’s acting funny, but he also did a fun job of his role, like im pretty sure he’s having fun with his role of Ken.

As for the other Barbies and Kens? Well, they’re there for plot convenience or just there for high profile appearances with one-dimensional role.

There’s Weird Barbie (played by Kate McKinnon) who’s in a ugly look after many years with unique flexing and giving us a plot details to Main Barbie, Tourist Ken (played by Simu Liu, aka Shang-Chi) who’s a nicer Ken, despite got a bitter rival with Beach Ken (which yes, im aware both Simu and Ryan didn’t get along in backstage), President Barbie (played by Issa Rae) who’s… Well, the president of Barbieland for bring peace perfectly, as well as other Barbie friends like Writer Barbie (played by Alexandra Shipp), Physicist Barbie (played by Emma Mackey), and Dr. Barbie (played by Hari Nef). Oh and there’s also Alan (played by Michael Cera), who’s obviously a rejected version of Ken for punchline or so, but at least its funny than Cera’s role of Hank in Paws of Fury (God I hate that movie last year…!).

As for the people in real world, they’re obviously there for the plot, or so we thought.

There’s Gloria (played by America Ferrera) an employee of Mattel who gave life of Barbieland, even if she’s trying to helping out Barbie and her daughter, speaking of the latter, Sasha (played by Ariana Greenblatt) who’s a grown daughter who’s out of her touch of Barbie, Aaron Dinkins (played by Connor Swindells) who’s an unlikely employees to helping out from problems and fictional Mattel’s CEO (played by Will Ferrell), who’s serious, but overly exaggerated boss of the toy brand, what do you expect of Will Ferrell’s acting? But at least he’s funny.

One fascinating part of the movie that I know (kinda) is the inclusion of Skipper, Barbie’s unlikely sister, but I won’t tell you where she is. And yes, they even including the infamous “Growing-up Skipper”, which is if you pull down her arm, she’ll growing her boobs to “aging up”.

While some characters are one-dimensional, but they have some fun performances and some are nicely written.

And now for my final opinion of this film

Overall, Barbie is a pretty dumb movie, but its a fun and entertaining kind of dumb movie.

It has some nice and relatable message, even if the idea is questionable, the presentation looks good for modest budget, the casts are good and fun and some characters are good too.

Then again, when I first saw it, I was question of this film’s idea, its pretty dumb with some questionable jokes and such, but again, its like its made of “So bad its good” movie, this is one of those film that you wanna turn off your brain to have fun with it, even if I turned off my brain, but I always gotta learn how this movie give of execution.

Though im not sure if Barbie fans will like this movie or if they will liking it, but once again, this is the film that you can watch once then maybe you can like it or not, even if its questionable to having Barbie on a big screen. But then again, im still waiting to see a movie based on Hot Wheels, cause I love Hot Wheels so much since my childhood. For Barbie, not my kind.

For my rating, im gonna give this one as 7/10.

So this ends of my Movie Review, and next time, im ready to closing out Barbenheimer involving the Manhattan Project to the life of the creator of nuclear weapon himself as I mentioned before.

As always, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.