It's pink and outrageously perky, but film critics don't want you to dismiss the new Barbie movie just yet.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
The highly-anticipated movie about the world's most popular doll has taken the internet by storm months before its premiere, with Barbie selfie generators, memes, trailers and a whole lot of supposition about the plot.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Australian actress Margot Robbie plays the main iteration of the iconic doll, while Ryan Gosling has bagged the role of 'himbo' Ken. The star-studded cast also includes Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell and Dua Lipa.
Whether you're a Barbie fan or not, film critic Dominic Corry says it will be hard not to pay attention to the film.
"It doesn't look like a super obvious cash-grab, they've got a really interesting director, a really interesting cast, it's a diverse cast, it seems like an inclusive progressive film.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
"By all accounts, we haven't seen it yet but it looks like it will be an interesting film as well as a celebration of Barbie," Corry said.
He says the film is at risk of people not taking it seriously because it's pink and bright.
"But I think that's where we can admire the studio for making the decision they have. They've got arguably the number one female star in the world, and they've hired an interesting director - Greta Gerwig does not make big mainstream blockbusters, she makes personal, interesting films about characters."
In this perfect Barbie world, where every day is perfect and every tomorrow will be too, every Barbie is called Barbie. But one is a president, that one is an author, and this Barbie has a Nobel Prize in physics.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
And the Kens... well they're just Ken.
University of Canterbury historian, Professor Katie Pickles, says it'll be interesting to see how the movie handles Barbie's complicated past.
"Barbie has been interpreted as being about sameness, that post-war women from 1959 were to be tall, thin, white... and that being the image of Barbie has been about objectifying women, is how feminists interpreted it."
Melodie Robinson with the Barbie doll based on her. Photo: Supplied / Melodie Robinson / Max Lemesh
New Zealand first's Barbie doll will be watching the film keenly too.
In 2019, former Black Fern and journalist Melodie Robinson was turned into the first-ever Māori Barbie doll for Mattel's 60th anniversary.
"I think it's going to be very interesting to see how they bring that traditional Barbie stereotypical female role into what is now a pretty complex world... and using humour to do it.
"I'll probably force my sons to watch it with me, I have to admit, and probably my husband as well!"
Barbie will be in New Zealand cinemas from 20 July.
