A lucky few had a glimpse into the highly-anticipated Barbie World on Sunday night at the world premiere of Greta Gerwig’s 'Barbie,' starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
After the premiere, social media was buzzing with opinions from critics - and while the full reviews aren't in quite yet, the reactions that have surfaced on Twitter are largely quite positive. Critics have praised Robbie's 'heartfelt' version of Barbie and Simu Liu's dazzling dance scenes. Some critics are even calling for Gosling to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Ken.
Katcy Stephan, Variety's social media editor, was among the first to post a reaction to the film on social media, stating it was nothing short of perfection. '#Barbie is perfection. Greta Gerwig delivers a nuanced commentary on what it means to be a woman in a whimsical, wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny romp,' Stephan begins. 'The entire cast shines, especially Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in roles they were clearly born to play,' she adds.
Greta's direction has been praised across the board. ScreenRant's Joseph Deckelmeier tweeted, '#Barbie caught me off guard & I mean that in the best way possible. 'It’s funny, bombastic, & very smart.' She adds,' Greta Gerwig aims for the fences & hits a home-run. Margot Robbie’s performance is great & @RyanGosling & @SimuLiu are pure entertainment! The whole cast is brilliant!; he added.'
However, there have been some mixed opinions about parts of the storyline. Whilst Collider's Perri Nemiroff enjoyed the film, she thought it was lacking in some important areas. 'I have seen #Barbie! The craftsmanship is incredible. In particular the costume & production design includes next-level work that heavily contributes to creating the feeling that these truly are Barbies, their dream houses, and their worlds come to life,' she began.
'As for the story, that’s where I’m a bit more mixed. I think the film serves Margot Robbie’s Barbie and her journey especially well, but there are other characters experiencing important arcs that needed more screen time to really dig into and explore to the fullest,' she added. Perri left 'wanting more' from the movie.
Ryan has been championed for his portrayal of Ken, with critics tipping his performance as award worthy. Jamie Jirak of ComicBook.com 'Give Ryan Gosling an Oscar nomination, I'm dead serious!' Whilst Pay or Wait's Sharonda Williams agreed stating,' Ryan Gosling is a scene stealer delivering most of the laughs while Margot Robbie’s heartfelt performance will tug at your heartstrings.'
Many also applauded Greta's ability to provide a deeper understanding of the Barbie brand and society's need to strive for perfection. Presenter Ty Cole tweeted, '#BarbieMovie is everything you wouldn’t expect from the series. It peels the layers off the superficial doll we all grew up with while showing how Ken is more than an asset and is figuring his identity out.'
He added, 'A lot of us strive to be 'perfect' like Barbie, but the film will show you don’t always have to be so perfect, because even in a 'perfect world,' we still have flaws and that’s okay. It’s for teens and an adult crowd who grew up with the franchise.'
So, if you're still debating getting tickets, these reviews should be your green light to take the plunge!
When is Barbie released in the UK?
Barbie hits UK cinemas on July 21, 2023. Warner Bros. announced the news with a first look at Robbie in character, covered in pink
What is Barbie's rating in the UK?
The British Board of Film Classification has awarded the film a 12A rating due to strong language, mild innuendo and 'dangerous behaviour.' The UK’s 12A rating means children under the age of 12 can still see the movie if they are accompanied by an adult.
Among the details that made the BBFC decide the film’s younger audiences would require adult supervision are 'comic fight scenes' including 'punches, kicks, headbutts and use of improvised weapons' and 'occasional verbal references to death and mental health.'