Over the summer, millions of people filled the theaters to watch Director Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” At the moment, it is the highest-grossing movie of 2023, making nearly $600 million in just the United States and over $1.3 billion internationally. However, after viewing the trailer, listening to the soundtrack and seeing the hype revolving around it on social media, many left the theaters with mixed reviews.
On one hand, some Barbie fans dressed up in all-pink outfits to match the movie’s theme and expressed their positive opinion of it on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Others felt that the advertisements deceived them into believing that it would simply be a lighthearted story starring famous actors Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu. Instead, they felt tricked into watching a film that did not approach certain issues with the right mindset.
One of those topics was body positivity, which has become a widely discussed issue over the last couple of years. At one point in the movie when Barbie left Barbie Land to explore the real world, she expressed a strong dislike for the cellulite she discovered on the back of both her legs. It is ironic that influencers like Lizzo have become role models for girls struggling with body image while “Barbie” views a feature like cellulite as unattractive. This was not a good reflection of the film itself.
Another criticism was that the plot needed to be deeper and resonate with the audience on a deeper, more personal level. Barbie and Ken’s excessive concern for themselves and their relationship rather than the more pressing problems that needed to be tackled in both Barbie Land and the real world made it difficult to take the film seriously.
Junior Ally Egen was excited to watch the movie in theaters during opening weekend. but was disappointed that it did not live up to her expectations.
“I think how they marketed it was…not really how the movie actually was. So I think there was too much hype for it for no reason and nothing really happened in the movie. It was kind of boring.” said Egen. “They talked about a lot of issues and then didn’t talk about solutions for any of the issues except for her personal issues. So I think it could have been a little more…cohesive.”
Though some did not enjoy the movie as much as others, the “Barbie” movie brought back the excitement of cinema. Since the pandemic, most people have become more comfortable watching films on popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus or Hulu in the comfort of their own homes. However, unlike other films released post-pandemic, many were eager to purchase their tickets weeks in advance to secure their seats and enjoy popcorn and drinks with friends and family.
Aside from the fans’ constructive criticism, the movie had a meaningful underlying message: women should be given the same opportunities as men. It acknowledges the fact that women have been treated unfairly since what feels like the beginning of time. In “Barbie,” the concept of women in positions of power was unanimously accepted in Barbie Land and implied that it should be more universally accepted in the real world as well.
Senior Annette Henderson was a big fan of the film and how it addressed worldwide issues currently happening today.
“I believe the underlying message was that girls can take on positions of power that are usually or stereotypically taken on by men. And ultimately, that your identity is found within yourself” said Henderson. “And so I think it talked a lot about identity, which was really interesting because they know part of the main focus was just addressing gender stereotypes.:
There is no concrete answer to whether Barbie was overrated or not. It left viewers disappointed about the quality of the storyline, but also revealed a meaningful message about women empowerment. Still, it brought people back to theaters and brought out people’s creativity on social media.
