I expected this to be horrible, ditzy stereotypes, poor portrayal of each gender, or a best a 2 hour long advertisement for their toys.

It was not.

I cannot believe I am saying this, but this was an incredibly intelligent film! Prior to seeing it, that is the last thing I would expect to say, but it really was.

Clever and witty throughout.

Poor gender stereotypes? No, just the opposite. By showing how stereotypes existed in the Barbie world, then the real world and how they would later collide, it shined a light on the challenges of both genders, in again a clever and witty way.

A two hour commercial? No, Mattel used it as a way to apologize for some of the mistakes it made with dolls over the years (Sugar Daddy Ken), but even then in such a clever way. This was both an affirmation of what good Barbie has done, but also an apology for all the harm it has caused with unrealistic stereotypes.

Yes, it had a social agenda (again a surprise from what I went in expecting), but it succeeded in its goal without hitting you over the head, or with low brow humor.

It was clever, witty and intelligent. In other words, exactly what your not expecting.