"Might contain spoilers"
Okay, so as an avid watcher - not exactly a fan, but I have watched around 95% of the Mattel Barbie movies - I went into this movie thinking that it was going to be different and innovative.
The concept and idea was good. The animation, voice acting, lighting, and color was vibrant and lovely. They've really upper their game over the past few years. I did miss the inclusion of Kelly Sheridan as Barbie since I've grown accustomed to her wonderful voice. But Erica was a stunning replacement.
The animation itself screamed sophistication. Yes, a few animals lacked pizazz and creativity, but nobody's perfect. The animal preserve scenes were gorgeous. The city too.
My qualms stem from the obvious - Barbie must always save the day, Barbie must always be a goody-two-shoes, Barbie somehow always ends up shrouded in magical sparkles. Yes, it's kinda glorious and sparkly and pretty, but it gets repetitive. I was pleasantly surprised by her lack of outfit change in the climax. I was silently hoping she stayed in her practical gear. And she did. The movie sent forth a vibe that was a cross between Star Trek and Stars Wars. I know, I know. Shame on me for comparing a piece of trash, kid's movie to STAR WARS, right? But the controls, the ship, the aliens on the planet . . . Well, they looked eerily familiar. Not to mention Barbie's resemblance to a certain female called Rey. Just saying.
There was also something a little off in the third act. I somehow felt as though something was missing - some huge chunk of the end. I guess I was expecting a villain trying to steal the stars or enslave the galaxy, or maybe even the king turning out to be the bad guy. Hints were dropped throughout the movie only to leave me dissatisfied with a lackluster conclusion to a promising tale.
Overall, if a little more planning had gone into the plot, the movie would have been a solid addition to the Barbie franchise. I do love the science fiction aspect, really. But the plot holes seemed to be akin to black holes.
Okay, so as an avid watcher - not exactly a fan, but I have watched around 95% of the Mattel Barbie movies - I went into this movie thinking that it was going to be different and innovative.
The concept and idea was good. The animation, voice acting, lighting, and color was vibrant and lovely. They've really upper their game over the past few years. I did miss the inclusion of Kelly Sheridan as Barbie since I've grown accustomed to her wonderful voice. But Erica was a stunning replacement.
The animation itself screamed sophistication. Yes, a few animals lacked pizazz and creativity, but nobody's perfect. The animal preserve scenes were gorgeous. The city too.
My qualms stem from the obvious - Barbie must always save the day, Barbie must always be a goody-two-shoes, Barbie somehow always ends up shrouded in magical sparkles. Yes, it's kinda glorious and sparkly and pretty, but it gets repetitive. I was pleasantly surprised by her lack of outfit change in the climax. I was silently hoping she stayed in her practical gear. And she did. The movie sent forth a vibe that was a cross between Star Trek and Stars Wars. I know, I know. Shame on me for comparing a piece of trash, kid's movie to STAR WARS, right? But the controls, the ship, the aliens on the planet . . . Well, they looked eerily familiar. Not to mention Barbie's resemblance to a certain female called Rey. Just saying.
There was also something a little off in the third act. I somehow felt as though something was missing - some huge chunk of the end. I guess I was expecting a villain trying to steal the stars or enslave the galaxy, or maybe even the king turning out to be the bad guy. Hints were dropped throughout the movie only to leave me dissatisfied with a lackluster conclusion to a promising tale.
Overall, if a little more planning had gone into the plot, the movie would have been a solid addition to the Barbie franchise. I do love the science fiction aspect, really. But the plot holes seemed to be akin to black holes.