Movie of the summer: ‘Barbie’ sparks controversy

Kay Smith

Staff Writer

The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.

The new Barbie movie has brought together kids and adults alike to reminisce about their childhood dolls. The timeless doll manages to connect audiences spanning generations, while also raising controversies.

The movie starring Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie showcases a semi-realistic version of what it would be like if women were in charge, while the Kens of the world are there as an accessory for the Barbies. Some critics consider this to be “man-hating”.

Julian Perez (12) says the movie “taught him a lot about what women are going through.” In regards to the backlash the movie has been receiving, he counters that the movie is “women celebrating.”

Julian goes on to say that the movie not only exceeded his expectations, but gave him a deeper understanding of traditional gender roles.

In contrast, junior Hamzah Saleh says, “it [Barbie] was a little bit man-hating, but I still liked the movie.” Overall, he described it as a “bright movie” with “lots of energy.”

Along with Julian Perez, Carmyn Vecchio (11) calls it “women empowering” and claims that the purpose was never to target men. She describes the movie as “very heartwarming”.

“I liked the set, but overall it was kind of boring. The storyline was random, and I didn’t care for it,” says Ally Mayberry (11). Rather than a man-hating movie, she considers it to be patriarchy-hating, “it criticizes the patriarchy, since it's bad for men and women”.

Algebra teacher Mrs. Kowalski describes it as “hilarious, relevant, and amazing actors,” going as far as to say she cried during the movie.

Regarding the man-hating allegations, Mrs. Kowalski says it was a “satire on gym-bro stereotypes,” and showcases “reverse gender power”. Mrs. Kowalski goes on to say that the movie exceeded her expectations. “After all the hype, I got a bit scared, but the movie went above and beyond.”

Barbie movie poster courtesy of Warner Bros

Regardless of the criticism, the new Barbie movie seems to be loved by most. Whether you're reliving your childhood or this is your introduction to the world of Barbie, the enchantment of the movie is undeniable.