Ruoh Ling Keong

Barbie started out as a perfect plastic doll and finally ended up a flesh and blood, imperfect human being or supposedly. This in a nutshell is the plot of the much celebrated Barbie movie. It is reek of potentials and promises of either a thought provoking, collective reflection of feminist dilemma of our time or a heart warming, nostalgic nonetheless satirical tale of the history of doll making with an undertone of empathy. Yet the potential is not realised and promises are well … broken. It has so many moments when it is teetering on … well … brilliance is pushing it but shall we say wittiness but it always slipped into banality … or worst … cliche. Cliche it is and a confused one. It is like the writers got confused along the way and just threw in whatever they feel is the zeitgeist of our time : girl power, feminist’s struggles, democracy, empowerment, the list can go on and mind you all these loaded issues are done with all the characters singing and dancing in pastel hues and Barbie,,,oh Barbie, ever so perfect and beautiful and remaining plastic as ever.