Film Review – Barbie (2023)

“Barbie” is the first major motion picture for the Mattel toy line, which has enjoyed generational success since its debut in 1959. The doll has become an iconic plaything in the lives of young people around the globe, selling primarily to girls, giving them a world of glamour, fantasy, and vocational possibility (at least eventually) to enjoy, with all the commercialization opportunities a corporation could ask for. “Barbie” is queen when it comes to the toy aisle, and she’s now a movie (at least not an artlessly animated one), and one that will probably have limited appeal to anyone under 13 years of age. Enter co-writer/director Greta Gerwig, who’s out to confront gender inequality and sexism with this endeavor (co-scripted by Noah Baumbach), attempting to use the plasticized universe of Barbie and her friends to take on societal ills, blended with some dance sequences and exaggerated production design achievements. “Barbie” is meant to be whip-smart and challenging, with Gerwig and Baumbach trying to do something inspirational with their feature, giving it sass and style to reach its creative goals. Genuine wit and a focused to-do list of criticism hasn’t made the final cut, which is definitely colorful and built for die-hard “Barbie” fans, but the whole film feels like a first draft of ideas and concepts in desperate need of refinement. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com