Worth it or not: movie critics and audience gave their verdict on "Barbie" movie with Margot Robbie

The premiere of the movie "Barbie" starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling took place in Ukraine on July 20. The widely discussed film about the iconic blonde doll shot by director Greta Gerwig has already become a real movie hit. Here you have to give credit to marketers who made the audience talk about the film and wear pink long before its release.

Film critics and viewers are actively sharing their reviews of the sensational movie. Some call "Barbie" a beautiful story without deep meaning while others, on the contrary, are delighted with the coverage of important topics through the prism of humor in combination with an interesting non-banal plot. OBOZREVATEL collected the reactions of experts and just movie lovers (to see photos and videos, scroll to the end of the page).

The review of the movie from the influential publication Independent was positive. Film critic Clarissa Loughry noted that the film exceeded her expectations, giving "Barbie" five stars out of five.

"Barbie" is one of the most inventive, impeccably made and surprising mainstream films in recent memory, a testament to what can be achieved even in the deepest depths of capitalism. While no studio movie can be truly subversive with consumer culture embracing the idea that introspection is good for business, Barbie succeeds far more than you'd think possible, " the review reads.

Robbie Collin in The Telegraph gave "Barbie" a solid B, which is a very high grade overall. He called the movie "deeply quirky, conceptually slippery and often hilariously funny." The critic noted that this comedy actually raises important serious themes and is not at all a simple story about a plastic doll.

"It's unexpectedly gratifying to report that Greta Gerwig's movie, despite being essentially a summer comedy about the Barbie toy line, is far from what many of us feared. The satirical element, which is more likely to appeal to older viewers than teenagers, is used with enthusiasm and mischief," Robbie Collin described the movie.

Sarah Vine in Daily Mail, on the other hand, was less happy with what she saw. She didn't like the "sexist" sentiment of "Barbie."

Vine wrote, "It's a deeply sexist movie, an extension of all the TikTok feminism that paints any form of masculinity as toxic and predatory. Every male character is either an idiot, a bigot or a sad, rather pathetic loser. If the roles were reversed and a male director made a movie with all women being hysterical, neurotic and gold-digging witches, it would be condemned as deeply offensive and sexist... The movie is uneven, disjointed, the plot makes no sense and bears the dead hand of corporate America."

Three stars were awarded to the movie by The Guardian 's film critic Peter Bradshaw. He called "Barbie" a good-natured but self-indulgent picture that is "at times very funny but also restrained and inhibited, as if the desire to be funny can only be mean-spirited and satirical."

He adds: "This movie is arguably a giant two-hour advertisement for a product just like the The Lego Movie, but Barbie is not trying to pull a comedic punch as much".

Rolling Stone 's David Fair, on the other hand, was much more positive than his two previous colleagues. He called "Barbie" "the most subversive blockbuster of the 21st century." He liked that it wasn't a solid comedy with songs and a display of bright pink costumes but also a rather subtle story about self-discovery, strength, femininity and masculinity, motherhood and growing up, injustice and the struggle for change.

The opinion of the audience can not be called unequivocal. Some call "Barbie" a masterpiece, others do not understand the enthusiasm at all. Some commentators appreciated both the visual and narrative component of the movie, but there were also haters, who saw the movie as "frivolous pink cotton candy".

Nevertheless, Ukrainian cinemas are overflowing with people who want to watch the sensational movie hit. Women and even men are trying to wear pink clothes to fully get into the atmosphere of the movie. Viewers highly appreciated the acting of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who masterfully recreated both Barbie and Ken.

The numbers speak for themselves. Warner Bros. announced a new record for 2023 box office receipts on the first day of distribution. Barbie managed to earn 22.3 million dollars in just one day. The previous record belonged to the fantasy movie called "Guardians of the Galaxy. Part 3" (17.5 million dollars).

As OBOZREVATEL wrote, the looks of actresses who played Barbie dolls are being copied in real life by fashionistas around the world. Ukrainian brand also appeared in the movie. Its costs 11 600 hryvnia. Find the details in our material.

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