Rating: 6/10 stars
One of the most highly anticipated films of the year, starring the iconic Mattel doll, Barbie, is a vibrant and dazzling spectacle.
From the eye popping color palette to playful set design, music and fashion too, Barbie creates a vibrant playground for imagination and wonder. Design contrasts the film's heavier goals - including dismantling the patriarchy and defining feminism, making "Barbie" a colorful, cultural zeigergeist for the times. Additionally, the film's retro pop soundtrack and album, featuring the likes of Tame Impala (!), Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and more, is likely one to top the Billboard charts for the year.
However, beyond the glitz, glam, and hype, the film's uneven plot, poor execution of ideas, and little to no true character development of its dolls, lead to viewer disappointment.
While the spectacular Margot Robbie carries the film emotionally from start to finish, the script has nowhere to go -- except in circles around themes of feminism, patriarchy, and the human experience.
Still, strong performances from the entire cast abound - including an ever humorous Kate McKinnon, multi-layered Ryan Gosling, and sleeper-star Alexandra Shipp.
While the Barbie-Ken flick attempts to make cultural commentary about these themes, especially through the use of post-modern tactics, the film fails to send a clear message about any of them, lost in a pink-sauced spaghetti of ideas.
Overall, the uneven editing, plot, cultural commentary, and narrative trajectory,
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