‘Barbie’ Empowers Women with a Bold Message
Last week we discussed the impending doom of Hollywood
Last week, we delved into the dire state of Hollywood. The media was in a frenzy, warning us that the entire entertainment industry was on the brink of collapse. Writer’s strikes, actor’s strikes, and a string of blockbuster flops seemed to be the perfect storm. Ironically, these movies had already felt like they were created by AI, with their lackluster quality and performance. It’s no wonder that the average viewer would question if these films even had writers. Now, with the news that Hollywood will be relying on AI, it’s doubtful that we’ll be able to tell the difference.
A glimmer of hope for Hollywood?
Despite the gloomy atmosphere in Hollywood, this weekend has given them a glimmer of hope. However, I believe it’s a false hope. The Hollywood Reporter declares a box office “stunner” and reports on a historic weekend for movies:
“The summer box office just went nuclear. Filmmaker Greta Gerwig’s female-fueled Barbie opened to a historic $155 million domestically, a threshold usually reserved for male-driven superhero fare or marquee IP, such as the final Harry Potter movie. It came in well ahead of an expected $90 million to $110 million and helped fuel one of the biggest weekends in history. Barbie — which brings to life Mattel’s iconic fashion doll — is also strutting to big numbers overseas. The pic launched to an impressive $182 million from 70 markets for a global bow of $337 million against a $145 million production budget… In North America, Barbie scored the biggest domestic start ever for a movie directed by a woman, solo or otherwise.”
While the article goes on to gush about “Barbie,” it does mention that Christopher Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer” also had an enormous opening weekend, raking in $80 million. This is Nolan’s biggest opening weekend for any of his non-Batman films, which is especially impressive considering it’s an original three-hour R-rated historical drama. Making such a film into a smash hit is no easy feat. It’s nearly unprecedented.
Conditioning and the power of branding
When it comes to moviegoers, there’s a clear pattern of flocking to theaters for movies based on familiar brands. Audiences are growing tired of franchise and brand films, as seen with the lackluster performance of “Indiana Jones,” “The Flash,” and “Little Mermaid.” However, if a brand with a large and dedicated fan base hasn’t had its own film in a while, it’s likely to do well on its opening weekend. This is precisely the case with “Barbie.” The movie’s success is not due to its quality in directing, acting, or writing. Instead, it’s the result of conditioning and the power of a beloved brand. Mothers and daughters didn’t rush to theaters because they were eager to see what Greta Gerwig had created or because they were fans of Margot Robbie. They came because it’s Barbie, a brand they adore. This weekend’s box office performance is a testament to Pavlov and his dogs, not a vindication for Hollywood or the filmmakers behind “Barbie.”
The marketing department’s credit
If anyone deserves credit for the biggest box office debut for any female director in history, it’s not the female director herself, but the marketing department. They were the ones who cleverly concealed the true content and message of the film. As we now know, the “Barbie” movie is a preachy feminist screed about dismantling the patriarchy. It’s a gender studies lecture disguised as a Barbie film. We don’t need to watch the movie to understand its flaws, just as we don’t need to eat a rotten onion to know we won’t enjoy the taste. The film’s descriptions make its themes abundantly clear, something the marketing failed to do.
Surprising feminist commentary in Hollywood
Fox News reports that Hollywood movie critics are widely praising “Barbie” as the most unwavering feminist summer blockbuster ever to exist. The film’s messaging around the patriarchy and gender roles has garnered particular adoration. Critics are surprised by Director Greta Gerwig’s willingness to engage in extensive social commentary.
“Once an equal parts fascinating and controversial Mattel toy, both loved and hated—a tiny-waisted, vacuously smiling, slender doll designed like a straight-male fantasy—is now the complicated feminist symbol of empowerment in Gerwig’s hands,” The Wrap wrote. “‘Barbie’ is both a master’s thesis on feminism and an Austin Powers-esque romp,” The Globe and Mail noted.
Indiewire praised the film’s “outside the box” and ”funny, feminist fantasia,” highlighting Ryan Gosling’s performance of newfound male rage and patriarchal power. It’s interesting to note that these themes were not prominently featured in the trailer or marketing materials. They were cleverly hidden beneath the pink and plastic, only revealed to the audience once they were already seated in the theater.
The trickery of feminism in film
We now have a clear understanding of the aggressive, male-hating feminist agenda of the “Barbie” movie. This knowledge comes from brave individuals who endured the film and reported on its content. However, even liberal movie critics’ generally positive reviews shed light on the movie’s true message. The Variety review delves into the details that the film’s marketing material conveniently glossed over:
“At the same time Barbie is experiencing her rude awakening, Ken’s busy filling his empty head with all the possibilities that ‘patriarchy’ entails. In Barbie Land, Ken’s job is a deliberately ill-defined afterthought (basically, just ‘beach’), whereas in the Real World, dudes rule — an idea he takes back to Barbie Land with pointedly absurd results, brainwashing all the women into behaving like obedient housewives.”
This seems to be the major underlying theme of the movie. In Barbie Land, men are portrayed as useless and stupid, while in the real world, they are depicted as violent, predatory, and in control of everything. Ken witnesses this dynamic and tries to export the patriarchy back to Barbie Land. The film explicitly uses the term ”the patriarchy” multiple times.
It’s worth noting that the Variety review is not entirely positive. It takes issue with the portrayal of men in the film, but not because of the negative light in which they are shown. The critic argues that focusing too much on making men look terrible might overshadow the film’s intended celebration of women. This critique reveals the modern media’s approach to demonizing men while simultaneously trying to minimize their presence.
The failure of feminist fairy tales
The feminist fairy tale, as exemplified by the upcoming “Snow White” remake, has been met with widespread mockery. This film is destined to be a bigger flop than the woke “Little Mermaid” adaptation. Audiences have no interest in a fairy tale where the damsel in distress no longer needs saving and the central romance is replaced with a dreary sermon about self-empowerment. People want to see Snow White get saved by the prince and fall in love. When a film openly advertises its feminist agenda, it fails to attract viewers. Feminism must resort to trickery and subterfuge; it cannot enter through the front door, announcing its arrival.
That’s because, despite what some may claim, most women innately desire a man to protect and provide for them. Women want to be swept off their feet by Prince Charming. These timeless stories have resonated with each new generation because they tap into these desires. The feminist fairy tale, on the other hand, falls flat because it goes against these innate longings. It tries to dictate what women should do, think, and want, but it will always ring false because it is false.
Feminism has certainly gained many followers in the modern world, but it achieves this through brainwashing, constant indoctrination, and by exploiting women’s resentment, hatred, self-pity, and desire to blame others for their problems. However, this approach doesn’t work in a fairy tale or in marketing materials for a film based on a beloved children’s toy. That’s why the true message of ”Barbie” was hidden away until the audience was already seated in the theater.
The importance of critical thinking
The question remains: Did the mothers who took their daughters to see this film recognize the toxic feminist message? Did they spend the ride home explaining why the movie’s content was wrong? Or were they oblivious to the message, even when it was delivered with a sledgehammer? Perhaps some of these mothers were already man-hating feminists themselves, seeing no issue with the film’s agenda. It’s likely a mix of all these possibilities, but one can only hope that many fell into the first category. For any parents who hadn’t yet taken their daughters to see this movie, it’s now clear that they should reconsider.
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