Margot Robbie has revealed she is taking a short break from acting to focus on producing because "everybody is probably sick" of the sight of her after last summer's Barbie movie.
Your assumptions aren’t true at all. It looks like it’s heading that way part-way through the film, when Barbie and Ken are at odds with each other. And then it goes ahead and empowers all the men as well. It’s certainly critical of toxic masculinity but I think it’s empowering for both men and women overall. Obviously your Ben Shapiro types were offended by it because it’s not trying to appeal to incels, and it is woke, but not in a bad, inauthentic way.
I don’t think it’s really supposed to re-popularise the line of toys either. Sure, people who liked the toys when they were young will probably find details they appreciate, but it’s not meant to sell the toys. It’s not aimed at the demographic (young girls, typically) who would want to buy dolls. It’s not an R-rated film, of course, but I’d say anyone under 12 probably isn’t going to get much out of it, and it’s probably much more enjoyable for adults overall. It’s pretty philosophical and thoughtful, and has quite a lot of metaphors and symbolism that would be lost on younger viewers.
Rather than aiming to sell toys, the film is the product; it’s a way to make money with the Barbie brand from audiences outside of the toy-buying demographic. And it achieved that (by being a good film).
Your assumptions aren’t true at all. It looks like it’s heading that way part-way through the film, when Barbie and Ken are at odds with each other. And then it goes ahead and empowers all the men as well. It’s certainly critical of toxic masculinity but I think it’s empowering for both men and women overall. Obviously your Ben Shapiro types were offended by it because it’s not trying to appeal to incels, and it is woke, but not in a bad, inauthentic way.
I don’t think it’s really supposed to re-popularise the line of toys either. Sure, people who liked the toys when they were young will probably find details they appreciate, but it’s not meant to sell the toys. It’s not aimed at the demographic (young girls, typically) who would want to buy dolls. It’s not an R-rated film, of course, but I’d say anyone under 12 probably isn’t going to get much out of it, and it’s probably much more enjoyable for adults overall. It’s pretty philosophical and thoughtful, and has quite a lot of metaphors and symbolism that would be lost on younger viewers.
Rather than aiming to sell toys, the film is the product; it’s a way to make money with the Barbie brand from audiences outside of the toy-buying demographic. And it achieved that (by being a good film).