Movie Review: Barbie (2023)

by Erica Liu (Grade 9)

I would rate Barbie a 7.5 out of 10. While I liked the movie, I did not find it very exciting since there was not a huge plot twist or anything. Instead, it focuses on character development and powerful lessons learned about identity, self-worth, and social inequality. It is more of a heartwarming experience than a movie with drama and plot twists.

One of my favorite parts of the movie was the soundtrack. It fits both the good and bad moments perfectly and really enhances the emotions felt during each scene. Another part of the movie that I really liked was the aesthetic of Barbie Land. The bright colors and intentional “fakeness” really stood out and made a great contrast with reality.

Another part of the movie that stood out to me was Margot Robbie’s outfits and hairstyles. They were perfect representations of the stereotypical look of a Barbie doll. Additionally, I liked how, at the end of the movie, Kens were not made equally powerful. This made it feel more realistic because social change does not occur overnight. Lastly, Ryan Gosling’s acting was very funny and added so much to the comedy in the movie. His dramatic and over-the-top performance as Ken made many scenes really entertaining to watch. I really like how the movie combines humor with meaningful themes.

Another thing that I found interesting is how patriarchy and matriarchy were portrayed by this movie. In the beginning, it showed a matriarchy because, in Barbie Land, women are in charge. Later on, when Ken finds patriarchy in the real world and tries to implement it into Barbie Land, it shows how both systems can become unfair if one group has too much control. This is something that I found creative because it helped get across the message of equality between both genders.

However, it was also one of the main reasons why I did not fully enjoy the movie as much as I thought I would. The movie has a strong focus on getting its message through to the audience about gender roles in society. I personally like to watch movies with more action, suspense, or surprises in them. Therefore, it was like learning a lesson rather than watching an exciting movie at times. Although I like what important messages are being conveyed in the movie, I believe that in some parts, the movie was all about getting its message through to the audience.

Overall, I still think Barbie is a visually appealing movie with important meaning, but it was not exactly the kind of movie that would keep me fully excited throughout the movie.