"Barbie (2023)" attempted to mold a modern narrative around the iconic doll, but what unraveled was a feature film that was as plastic and hollow as the toy it's inspired by. The film sets forth with a glittery promise of self-discovery and empowerment but stumbles and falls face-first into a puddle of clichés and superficiality.

The protagonist's journey from a boxed perfection to a self-realized individual is filled with predictable plot twists and eye-roll-inducing dialogues. The script seems to be churned out from a factory of trite, lacking any originality or depth, much like the molded plastic of a Barbie doll.

The animation, touted as one of the highlights, is nothing more than a barrage of pastel colors and unrealistic body proportions. It fails to breathe life into the characters or the world around them, making it a plastic paradise devoid of any genuine emotion or relatability.

Supporting characters are as one-dimensional as they come, each embodying a blatant stereotype without any redeeming qualities. They flutter through the scenes, contributing nothing to the narrative other than filling the already cluttered screen.

The attempt to modernize Barbie and make her relatable to the contemporary audience is a lost cause as the essence of what makes Barbie iconic is buried under a heap of modern-day jargon and misplaced attempts at humor.

The villain, a caricature of societal expectations, is as menacing as a bubble wrap, failing to evoke any real threat or concern.

Barbie is a missed opportunity to delve into the evolving identity and societal expectations of women. Instead, it serves a shallow, glitter-coated narrative that's as fleeting and forgettable as a fashion trend. In trying to find Barbie's place in the modern world, the film loses its way and ends up being a lackluster parade of plasticity.