By La Revista Binacional
Barbie just premiered in cinemas, and the team at La Revista Binacional went to see it in our local movie theater, and let’s just say we aren’t the same people we were before the movie.
Barbie is a movie that stands out due to its satire and social criticism towards the patriarchy that has taken over the real world and does so in a way that doesn’t seem forced like in other “girl power” movies.
In Barbieland, society is precisely the opposite in the real world. Women rule the world, the government, and general society, while the Kens exist only to please the Barbies; as the narrator said: “Barbie has a great day every day, Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him.” This world might seem exaggerated to the point that it seems impossible that society could ever work that way, but when Barbie and Ken get to the real world, they realize that everything is not what they thought it was.
One of the movie’s most “eye-catching” aspects is the hypersexuality that goes on with the Kens; they’re constantly trying to look good for Barbie and try to impress her. Ryan Gosling’s Ken is shirtless for half of the movie and functions as “eye candy”; his only skill is “beach” and looking perfect.
This movie is filled with humor and hidden references. It breaks the fourth wall several times and certainly gives it a more fantastic charm. There are references to films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Wizard of Oz, Clueless, Saturday Night Fever, The Matrix, The Shining, Top Gun, Grease, and many others.
As a woman, this movie really made me think about what being a woman really is. Being a woman isn’t being awesome and strong all the time. We can feel sadness, shame, insecurity, anger, and a whole range of emotions but are constantly criticized for feeling too much or too little. It feels like nothing we ever do is enough for society, but the point I got from this movie is that it doesn’t even matter. Barbie was seemingly perfect in her world, but it was just a fantasy world, and we see her soul get crushed when she encounters men in a universe where the patriarchy rules over society.
There is an obvious distinction from other movies that touch on feminism. Women aren’t always the strongest in the room; they are the ones who are here to save the day. When listening to Gloria’s monologue, I thought of the scene in the Avengers movie when all the women superheroes appear in a “girl power” fighting scene. I remember feeling that it was slightly (very) forced. But never for one second did I think that in Barbie. Everything felt genuine (having a woman director might have something to do with it), and this is the best movie I’ve seen that touches such subjects. America Ferrera did an outstanding job. She gave a genuinely moving performance and has not left my mind since I left the movie theater yesterday.
All of the Barbies’ and Kens’ performances were great, but the top performers were, of course, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera.
The movie’s soundtrack was just a little behind and quite enjoyable.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is a movie that will be discussed for years. It provides excellent entertainment while simultaneously inviting the viewer to reflect upon themselves and their roles in society. We definitely recommend seeing it with an open mind, as some people have expressed their concerns about this movie being “Anti-Men,” which is not the case. I think this movie is just “Pro-Women.”
