Originally Posted by
Omegstrat6
Well, after 3 hours of Oppenheimer last week it was 90 minutes of Barbie this week, which we have just got back from. Given the gender/age demographic on here (😁) I doubt many will see It -but if you do I'm afraid you may be forgiven for thinking it doesn't live up to the hype.
It's rated 12 and there were some younger children in there but they won't get the majority of the gags or references and so whilst the hype has attracted quite a broad age range I guess it's main audiences will be late ****s-young 30s girls.
The sets are well done, Ryan Gosling is pretty good as Ken and Margot Robbie is perfect for the lead. The self-knowing bits (as in Barbie being horrified that she suddenly starts walking with her feet flat on the floor rather than in her usual tip toe manner to accommodate her heels) are done very well and quite amusing. The concept of the doll's influence on and reflection of gender roles in society is a good premise as is that of Barbie finding herself in the "real" world. But then it falls down.
The scene that did it for me was a preachy (but also rather woe is me) speech towards the end by the mum character. Sure, many women may feel like her-but not all women. And men too face similar difficulties in life too but these are barely touched on. Ken has no real role in his life in Barbieland and he only exists because of Barbie but they aren't in any kind of relationship, not least because Barbie isn't really interested and sees him more as a friend (plus, of course, they have no genitalia so the ***ual element isn't there) but his issues are never properly explored or resolved.
The message of the movie seems to be that women may have achieved increasing levels of equality over the years but there is still a way to go and I don't disagree with that but the movie also seems to portray men as either patronising and patriarchal or else pretty stupid. It's Barbie's movie of course but while Ken is a very big part of it there is no concluding balance to reflect this. I don't like Piers Morgan but there are some truths in his criticisms. When Barbie returns to her world and sees what Ken has done she puts it back to how it was before when everything was "perfect" and women are all back in charge because the men are all dumb. The only concession is that some of these men are now allowed minor positions of power. Of course this is the film simply flipping gender roles around as in the real world it was women who for many years were seen as dumb by the ruling males who then slowly allowed women minor positions of power. I get that, but it rankles that there is no kind of resolution that perhaps the world would be much better if men and women worked together and treated and respected each other as equals.
Is it woke? You've probably read that it includes Barbie characters of colour, a "larger sized" Barbie (just the one though!), a Barbie in a wheelchair (token disabled Barbie) and even a pregnant Barbie (which Mattel quickly withdrew). Robbie plays the "stereotype" Barbie but all are generally attractive young women. There are possible hints of gay Barbies and Kens but no hint of trans characters that I could see which I'm sure some activists and many on here will complain about😁. Maybe this is feminism fighting back not just against men but also on behalf of cis-women? Maybe it's because -for all the attractiveness on show-neither the Kens or Barbies have genitalia and so it can discuss themes of gender role but the more thorny subject of *** can be avoided (at least until the final scene).
It works very well when it's self-knowing (though the Lego movies probably did it just as well if not better), the soundtrack is ok and it's premises are fine but it falls down for me when it gets too preachy and the resolutions it offers rankle by not being balanced enough. Maybe when Ken gets his own movie (and you just know this may happen because Mattel are in it to make more money through all the add ons) this might be addressed. Personally, I think Alan and Wrecked Barbie deserve more screen time but you'd need to see the film to understand why and, frankly, I wouldn't bother.
The Mark Robson helmed Barbie soundtrack is already a big seller but the reason why Aqua don't appear on it is quite revealing. Apparently, Mattel at one point tried to sue them because they felt that "Barbie Girl" was both exploiting the popularity of their doll whilst simultaneously taking the p iss. The judge ruled in Aqua's favour, suggesting Mattel "chill out". Fast forward and with Mattel's bosses no doubt envious of the success of the Lego movies and their willingness to subvert their own product, they approached the band to see if they would allow them to use the original track in the movie. They refused.
Like I said, I doubt many on here will be flocking to see Barbie but if you do, let us know what you made of it. It may have made shed loads of money already but despite it's positives I don't think it will be remembered as the great movie some have touted it as. Gerwig is a talented director, but an Oppenheimer this aint.
