"Barbie" is a movie that is setting all sorts of records, so it's obvious that the film is touching many people. For some, it's the fun of seeing a doll come to life, for others it's the theme of empowerment that make the movie a big hit. As for me, I did like it and thought it was a pretty good movie...but it's not for everyone.

The first 2/3 of the film are simply fun and a visual delight. Seeing all the Barbie's in Barbieland was a joy. It also was very nice seeing Barbie enter the real world and interact with all the unfamiliar aspects of it. As for the final third, for me, this is what hurt the film a bit...at least for some viewers. Why? Well, I loved its message of female empowerment but I also felt it was delivered like a sledgehammer. Instead of talking about it and getting on with the plot, the movie bogged down for me and seemed to keep making the same point repeatedly. Subtle, it was not. On the other hand, who am I to complain...I did like the movie and am glad it had a nice feminist bent. Obviously this worked for many women seeing the film. Overall, a very good movie that slowed to a crawl towards the end. Not bad...but a film I wanted to like more than I actually did.