Firstly, let's start with what was good about Barbie and move forward from there. The colourful palette, the set designs and costumes were perfect to bring you into a world that doesn't take itself too seriously. Barbie wasn't meant to get all philosophical and it wasn't necessarily supposed to provide us with a point. What it gave little girls is happiness and entertainment value. In the early stages of the movie it undoubtedly had potential to be a lot of fun with a comedic effect.

This silly satire soon finds itself covering too much ground about how the world of Barbie is female dominant, alongside how the real world is male dominant. It evolves into a feminist movement film that is a little dated, then slowly back peddles and suggests everyone should be who they want to be. That all you have to do is find out who you are and what your purpose is. It almost becomes lost within its own thought pattern without really conveying anything meaningful. It feels like a load of thoughts with no conclusion or that somebody has thrown a pad of post-it notes in the air. The musical tone and lighthearted comedy that seemed set to propel this movie into box office glory, felt neglected to some extent, when real world themes were contemplated. What was working at first will slowly devour with over dramatic speeches of everything that is wrong with a male dominated world. As well as other complaints about having so much on your plate and being too god damn tired.

Barbie finds herself wanting to leave Barbieland to feel real emotions rather than go through day to day life like everything is perfect. The cross-over between worlds worked to some degree, to me it was showing the girl leaving behind her dolls and becoming a woman to join the sometimes scary, but real world. (Margot Robbie) portrays Barbie very simplistic, her approach works as that seems to be what Greta Gerwig aimed to show. Greta Gerwig differentiates the worlds developing both Barbie and Ken as they learn from their experience interacting with the real world. There appeared to be references to the Matrix to me as Barbie is given a choice between staying in Barbie world or going to the real world to discover what's causing her malfunctions. Also the owner Ruth Marianna Handler gives off an Oracle vibe in the scene where she offers Barbie tea. One little girl blames Barbie claiming she set women back decades making them stereotypical girly girls without a purpose except looking pretty putting clothes on and off and doing house chores.

(Ryan Gosling) gives Ken a lot of charisma and is purposely obnoxious at times creating an antagonist for Barbie. The Ken's are portrayed as weak little love puppies in Barbie world without a purpose juxtaposed with how women are received in the real world. Gosling reminds me of a wrestling villain that the crowd are wanting to hate on, he is a little over the top as he is turned against his fellow Ken's by Barbie manipulation. The poor performance of Gosling attempting to cry towards the climax added to the later half of the movie losing it way. It all becomes a little too silly leaving the audience flabbergasted at what absurdity they just witnessed.