Barbie (Margot Robbie) seemingly lives a perfect life with her equally perfect friends in an idyllic world. In Barbie Land, the sun perpetually shines and every night brings another celebration. This utopian existence is disrupted when Barbie begins to contemplate her own mortality, leading to a rapid unraveling of her seemingly flawless life. She discovers a connection to the person playing with her in the real world, who is experiencing distress, and feels compelled to help. Barbie embarks on a journey to the real world to resolve this issue, inadvertently bringing Ken (Ryan Gosling) along. Their arrival precipitates a significant culture clash, and Ken’s experiences in the real world have profound consequences for Barbie Land.
The Barbie doll was conceived in 1959 by Ruth Handler, who named the doll after her daughter, Barbara. Barbie was designed as a novel alternative to the prevalent baby dolls, allowing children to imagine their doll in a variety of roles beyond parenthood. Several years later, the Ken doll was introduced as a companion, named after Handler’s son. Thus, Ken and Barbie could be considered siblings (reminiscent of Game of Thrones)…
Few actors could embody Barbie as effectively as Margot Robbie. Despite Barbie’s initial struggles to adapt to the complexities of the real world, Robbie avoids portraying her as a shallow character. A poignant scene at a bus stop with an older woman exemplifies the film’s underlying strength. Additionally, a sequence featuring America Ferrera, where the story of her Barbie doll is revealed, is exceptionally well-executed and emotionally resonant.
The film’s practical effects are truly impressive. The houses are constructed in vibrant pink, mirroring the appearance of toy houses, complete with the intentionally wall-less designs and slightly low ceilings characteristic of dollhouses. The vehicles are also scaled down by 23 percent to further emphasize the difference between the Barbie doll and her toy car. The transition between the real world and Barbie Land is achieved through practical effects that are seamless and effective. The song and dance numbers are well-choreographed, and much of the humor is genuinely amusing.
However… the film does have its drawbacks.
Director Greta Gerwig‘s vision for the film lacks consistent rules. While the exaggerated and humorous nature of the Barbie world is evident, the portrayal of men becomes problematic. In Barbie Land, they are largely relegated to the role of eye candy for the Barbie dolls, with Ken depicted as largely superfluous. The film fails to acknowledge that the Ken doll has historically held at least as many professions as Barbie. Furthermore, in the film’s depiction of reality, virtually all men are portrayed as either boorish or completely ineffectual. For example, America Ferrera’s character’s husband is depicted as passive and unsupportive, to the point where his absence is barely noticed.
The portrayal of the Mattel board, led by an insufferable Will Ferrell, is a significant weakness. This element detracts from the film’s overall impact, especially as it undermines any hope that the board might consist of disillusioned Ken dolls, which would explain their perceived incompetence. The film struggles to balance its message with a consistent and believable world-building, resulting in a sense of forced commentary. While the real Mattel’s CEO is indeed a man, as depicted in the film, the board’s composition is actually more balanced, with five women and six men. As it stands, the film’s message risks suggesting that a retreat into fantasy is preferable to engaging with the complexities of reality.
While the underlying intentions are understandable, the film’s execution could have been more nuanced and intelligent, fostering genuine dialogue rather than simply reinforcing existing viewpoints.
On a positive note, the UHD edition is commendable. The image is presented in 3840×2160/24p in BT.2020 format, maintaining the original cinematic aspect ratio of 2.00:1. HDR-10 enhances the color palette, particularly noticeable during the initial dance sequence. With the film primarily set during daylight hours, dark scenes are limited, but the black levels in the Mattel office scenes are well-handled. The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, with a predominantly front-focused mix reflecting the film’s limited need for immersive surround sound. The audio mix is well-balanced, and dialogue is clear and centered.
The disc includes a wealth of supplementary material, providing detailed insights into the film’s production. Unfortunately, a commentary track with the director is absent, which would have been a valuable addition.
In conclusion, Barbie demonstrates moments of genuine brilliance, but is also marred by instances of awkwardness and overreach. The high-quality UHD edition elevates the overall experience.
SF Studios provided the review copy for this evaluation. The provision of materials does not influence our editorial independence; we maintain a commitment to unbiased assessments focused on the interests of our readers and consumers.
