After years and years of development and casting changes, the live action Barbie movie is finally out for the whole world to see. Co-written and directed by actor turned filmmaker Greta Gerwig and co-produced by and starring Margot Robbie as the titular doll, the film has proven to be one of the most anticipated summer blockbusters of 2023 and a welcome anniversary present to Warner Bros' 100th year since their inception. Now that the film is out for the public and media to enjoy, the best way to describe it is a hysterically subversive commentary on feminism disguised as a cheesy fantasy comedy.

The film follows Stereotypical Barbie and Ken going on a journey of self-discovery following an existential crisis, all the while encountering people who either want to make or break the doll's spirits. Before going into the story itself, the ensemble cast must be addressed, especially Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the primary Barbie and Ken respectively. In addition to sharing witty chemistry with each other, the multiple Barbies and Kens around Barbieland showcase the blessings of multiple roles for women to take on and a curse in how that can influence the men around them to call the shots. Alongside them is America Ferrera as Mattel employee Gloria who has as much to do with Barbie's existential crisis as she does in trying to repair her distant daughter Sasha stuck in her grumpy teen phase, showcasing how different generations operate around the famous Barbie line of toy making. Alongside many other well known names like Will Ferrell and Rhea Perlman as two differentiating role models for women around the world, the ensemble cast is exactly what will draw butts into seats.

Now as far as the film itself is concerned, the biggest contributing factor to how outlandish it is is that its worldbuilding makes no sense at all. Barbieland is supposed to be the place where all the Barbies and Kens live their lives to the fullest, yet the real world is interlinked based on how people have played with them. That being said, since the film is meant to highlight the conflicting views of feminism in a still patriarchal society, the imaginative execution of how the dolls and people interact makes for a lot of eye opening politics centered around how complicated the world truly is. While it's difficult to say if the film hit all of its targets, especially when the politics it tackles are still relevant today, its humor and commentary lies in the blending of childhood nostalgia and adult intellectualism. This is what partially leads to Barbie's wanting to leave her "perfect" paradise and Ken's attempts to see Barbie for who he pretends to be. Who could have thought a Barbie movie would have reminded us how difficult it is to face having to hide who we truly are out of pressure?

Of course, the production and costume design are what truly stand out around this ambitious feature. In contrast to the mundane real world, Barbieland is composed of bright colors and make-believe dream houses, complete with a wide variety of diverse costumes and elaborate sets making up the surreal fantasy landscape. As the Barbies function through pretend toy logic, there are some amusing visual gags based on their imaginary lifestyles and how they appear based on what their owners and Mattel did to them in the long run. The addition of much cartoony stunt work makes the film even more hilarious when you realize how little logic is actually in the film depending on the universe. Next to Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt lending their talents to an accompanying score and amusing musical numbers, one can sense a true glance of nostalgia with many well known hit songs that contribute to the film's tone and commercial exploitation. It's hard to say if the film is a jukebox musical or not, but it certainly is a riot with how much the audience will jive to the beat of the tunes.

In a day and age where we seem to be forgetting how much fun movies can truly be, Greta Gerwig's Barbie is a wonderful reminder as to why it's ok to embrace your inner child in a world overrun with societal beatdowns and forced maturity. Whether or not you've ever been into the Barbie toy line, this film is an absolute must watch for both the casual filmgoer and fans of hysterical fantasy comedies. It is self aware enough to make us laugh at even the smallest of jokes, it is mature enough to embrace its own immaturity, and it is a reason to still support the hard working crew with how the film industry is going nowadays.