Barbie Blu-ray Review
“Barbie” hits home video at last.
Going into 2023, “Barbie” was one of the most intriguing films slated for release. A live-action Mattel toy brand movie directed by Greta Gerwig? What would that look like and how would it play out? In July, the world discovered what “Barbie” was really all about. Not only was it a clever and bold satire that set the meme world ablaze, but it became a global phenomenon that broke box office records.
Stereotypical Barbie lives in Barbieland- a world where numerous Barbies with numerous professions, professional beach Kens, and other characters (like the lone Allan) reside. While at a dance party, Stereotypical Barbie begins to have deep existential thoughts which shakes her to her core. She confides in Weird Barbie about her unusual feelings (and physical changes) and Weird Barbie suggests she venture to the real world to seek out the child that plays with her. With stowaway Ken in tow, the two venture to L.A. where Barbie meets the two humans (Sasha and her mother Gloria) responsible for her current state. Ken has his own adventure and discovers a new thing- the patriarchy. Ken decides to share this revelation with the other Kens and shake up Barbieland completely. Meanwhile, upon learning about Barbie and Ken’s breach into the real world, the Mattel CEO is looking to capture the two.
It’s a little strange to see indie darlings (Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach) tackle a major IP and yet the two manage to defy expectations of what a blockbuster can be. Rather than create a story aimed at children or crafting a crowd-pleasing generic Barbie movie, they made a decidedly more intellectual and existential adult story that has appeal to younger crowds as well. This isn’t just a toy story about dolls (although there are certainly shades of “Toy Story” here). It’s a comedy-musical about individualism, stereotypes, beauty, identity, societal norms, gender and gender roles, the patriarchy and forging one’s own path. The story even goes down some paths you might not expect with the Mattel CEO and the Barbie creator Ruth Handler. Even though the comedy may not always land, the Will Ferrell CEO subplot doesn’t add much, and the third act runs too long, “Barbie” deserves a ton of credit for creating a smart and refreshingly original take on an existing property that has clearly captured the heart of a nation. This is a movie that means so much to so many people and that’s what good cinema is all about.
Margot Robbie has had an unfortunate string of bombs over the years even though she herself has been churning out amazing performances (see “Babylon”). Finally, Robbie gets a massive hit here and one in which she delivers yet another noteworthy performance that utilizes her talents. Ryan Gosling is amusing and charismatic as Ken. The actor clearly had a blast in the role. America Ferrera gets one of her best movie roles as the human mother Gloria. Michael Cera completely steals the movie as Allan. Kate McKinnon was born to play Weird Barbie. A real match made in heaven there.
Perhaps the real star of the movie is the award worthy production values. In the CGI era, it was so rewarding to see giant practical Dream House sets and vehicles and extravagant costumes. It strengthened the movie in so many ways.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.00:1 1080p. How does it look? A perfectly crisp and colorful transfer. Note: This title is also available on 4K
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? From the dance number to the new soundtrack tunes, this Atmos track is nothing short of perfection.
Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Playing Dress-Up: An Extended Look At The Costumes Of Barbie” featurette.
* “It’s A Weird World” is all about Weird Barbie. Interviews and set footage are included.
* “All-Star Barbie Party” revolves around the Barbie, Ken, and human characters
* “Musical Make-Believe” centers around the making of the dance number.
* “Becoming Barbie”- A featurette on creating the looks of Barbie for the big screen.
* “Welcome To Barbie Land”- A behind-the-scenes look at the Barbie Land sets.
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