Shawn Badolian

The Barbie (2023) movie can’t be as bad as some have said, right? When this movie was released, I can’t say I was planning on watching it, that is until I started seeing podcasts on how damaging this movie was to men. I admit, I initially brushed it off as men complaining about the portrayal of men counterproductive to what is expected of us socially. With the number 1 spot, and out earning the Harry Potter movies, I decided to give it a go. After watching it, I have to agree with the disfavor expressed by the minority. Warning: spoilers ahead! The opening starts with little girls with dolls pretending to be mothers caring for babies, and then Barbie comes along and tells them it’s ok to not be interested in that, which in and of itself is fine; women aren’t brood mares, and no one is obligated to procreate. I digress. Had it left it like that, it would have been fine, instead, a triumphant song plays as the girls destroy their baby dolls, one even bashing the head in. While I believe the intended message was the breaking of social norms, it was executed poorly and in a way that is cruel to mothers and their babies. An adult would likely see the former, but a young girl may see the latter. Now we introduce Ken, who the narrator states only has a good day when Barbie notices him, while she has a perfect day everyday. Throughout the movie, Barbie is emotionally abusive towards Ken, belittling him and using him as a doormat. Later on, Ken discovers, you guessed it, the patriarchy! Dun dun dunnnnnn!! With his newfound “knowledge,” Ken proceeds to return to Barbie Land and make all the women subservient to the men. Throughout this entire movie, women are portrayed as strong and able to do anything (which isn’t the issue, that’s a great message), whereas the men are portrayed as oafs. It’s shocking that none of them wore dunce hats. This isn’t restricted to just the Kens though. The heads of Martell, and even the husband of Gloria, are all shown in a demeaning manner. I’m all for empowerment, but when you elevate someone by pushing another down, how can you call it that? While I don’t agree with the extreme discourse of the minority, there’s no doubt that misandry runs rampant in this movie. If you’re the targeted audience, you’ll love this movie; however, if you aren’t, you’ll likely leave the ending credits with a sour taste in your mouth.