For me, Barbie came very, very close to an 8/10 rating. The only reason it didn't quite get there was that it contains a few scenes that are too long and a bit too weak.

On the plus side, there are several more things to mention. First and foremost, Barbie has attracted a very strong cast, with well respected names also in several supporting roles, and they all perform well. Margot Robbie was almost an obvious casting choice. With her skills and her appearance, she really IS Barbie (with a brain) for almost two hours.

Director Greta Gerwig and her crew created perfect Barbieland sets, which made me smile in spite of the fact that I never owned a Barbie doll myself.

The film had me laughing many times, and it also brought me to tears a few times. Quite impressive for a movie about a doll, I thought.

And, last but not least, the message of the movie. Already when I heard that Greta Gerwig was going to make a Barbie movie, I knew we were in for a culture clash. The fact that she went all-in was not surprising to me, but that she managed to convince Mattel to go along with her was. Kudos not only to Greta Gerwig for that, but also to Mattel. This may turn out to prove enormously profitable for them in the end, and they undoubtedly hope to make Barbie relevant for a few more generations. Nevertheless, this took guts on their part. Well played.