By Karolina Mroczek [‘26]
The hit new film Barbie was released on July 21, 2023. The nearly two-hour long movie revolves around the lives of dolls Barbie and Ken in Barbie Land. When they get a chance to see the real world, Barbie and Ken realize that human society isn’t always optimistic and orderly. They learn how to navigate through the real world, causing them to change as individuals. Additionally, Barbie and Ken collaborate with real people and fellow dolls in order to pursue their goals in the movie.
As a whole, Barbie promotes a message of feminism and its importance. Barbie Land is run entirely by women– women hold all high-status jobs, such as the presidency. However, when Ken follows Barbie into the real world, he learns about the patriarchy and a male-dominated society. He believes that as a male, he and the other Kens would benefit from a patriarchal society. When Ken reveals this to Barbie, who is on a mission of self-discovery, she becomes disheartened. She wants to find happiness and confidence, while Ken wants to change Barbie Land for the “better.” Barbie and Ken’s opposing motives show that our world will never be truly perfect, no matter how hard we try– all actions come with downsides; in the end, a harmonious world where everyone is equal will be nearly impossible to achieve. However, Barbie does not solely focus on the struggles of women, it also promotes the message that men are enough and that their emotions are valid. Albeit comedic, Barbie shows flaws in modern society that should be acknowledged.
Overall, Barbie was a highly successful film. With an IMDb rating of 7.1/10 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88%, the movie did fairly well in the eyes of critics. Consumer-wise, it was the highest-grossing Warner Brothers film of all time and one of the most popular films of the year, outdone by Oppenheimer. The two movies were released on the same date, causing a mass social media trend called “Barbenheimer” in which viewers would watch the films back-to-back. This trend caused thousands of people to flock to movie theaters, creating long lines and accumulating many ticket sales. Most viewers enjoyed Barbie, especially the guest appearances from singer Dua Lipa and wrestler John Cena. Songs like “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” were hits among fans, earning substantial amounts of views on streaming platforms. Actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling stole the show with their portrayals of Barbie and Ken, boosting the film’s popularity even further. Barbie exceeded critic expectations and found its way into the hearts of many fans. Many would agree that it is one of the best films of the year.
