A Journey Down Memory Lane, with Barbie | By Shareini Kathiravan
Illustration by Shareini and Alana Sofia
A friendly disclaimer though that this isn’t meant to be a ranked list of any form, simply a fun reminiscence of something we enjoyed back in the day.
Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia
First up, an exhilarating addition to the Barbie Fairytopia series. One that’s centred around the blooming of Barbie’s (as Elina) unexpected friendship with Nori the mermaid, whom she needs to work with to save their merprince friend Nalu. Nori’s apprehension towards Elina for various reasons becomes the highlight of the movie, with the electric back-and-forth between the two, successfully creating tension in an otherwise mostly seamless journey. It perfectly captured the hilarious dynamic of a clueless newcomer having to enlist the aid of a reluctant local to guide them.
That being said, it wasn’t all happy travelling either. A tale of sacrifice, vulnerability, and the trust that follows, both Elina and Nori eventually lower their guards around each other for the sake of their friend in need. Nalu and Bibble’s comedic shenanigans with the villains sprinkled in throughout the movie truly tie it together, making it a perfect final touch to yet another entertaining Barbie adventure.
That being said, it wasn’t all happy travelling either. A tale of sacrifice, vulnerability, and the trust that follows, both Elina and Nori eventually lower their guards around each other for the sake of their friend in need. Nalu and Bibble’s comedic shenanigans with the villains sprinkled in throughout the movie truly tie it together, making it a perfect final touch to yet another entertaining Barbie adventure.
Scene from Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia
Barbie as the Island Princess
The ‘getting thrown into a new environment with minimal assistance’ premise seems to occur quite often in Barbie movies. It’s a tried and true formula —what better way to introduce viewers to a new setting than to let the characters walk in blind with them?
That’s exactly what happens here; Barbie (as Ro) is invited by a voyaging prince back to his kingdom to experience civilization, having lived many years marooned on an island with no memory of her past. The film wonderfully portrays the yearning for freedom and acceptance that is felt by both main and supporting characters, including the antagonist. We have Prince Antonio and Princess Luciana both seeking to be free of their parents’ vice grip, while the antagonist Queen Ariana executes a plan of revenge for her kingdom. Enchanting music surrounds the plot, allowing the characters to convey their raw feelings in verse instead of simply revealing them in dialogue. The clash between cultures is quite a spectacle too; Ro’s animal friends and the royal pet monkey Tallulah bridge the cultural gap where the humans fall short, with a tinge of amusement in the process.
That’s exactly what happens here; Barbie (as Ro) is invited by a voyaging prince back to his kingdom to experience civilization, having lived many years marooned on an island with no memory of her past. The film wonderfully portrays the yearning for freedom and acceptance that is felt by both main and supporting characters, including the antagonist. We have Prince Antonio and Princess Luciana both seeking to be free of their parents’ vice grip, while the antagonist Queen Ariana executes a plan of revenge for her kingdom. Enchanting music surrounds the plot, allowing the characters to convey their raw feelings in verse instead of simply revealing them in dialogue. The clash between cultures is quite a spectacle too; Ro’s animal friends and the royal pet monkey Tallulah bridge the cultural gap where the humans fall short, with a tinge of amusement in the process.
Scene from Barbie as the Island Princess
Barbie: Mariposa
Barbie embarks on another adventure that requires her to save the day once again, but as Mariposa this time, alongside uncooperative companions. Mariposa’s Barbie takes a slightly intellectual approach to her journey, bringing the plot to life with her quick thinking and her vast knowledge that gets her and her friends out of sticky situations. Forced to work with her rude employers Rayna and Rayla, the movie deploys a classic ‘popular kids and the quiet bookworm’ scenario where the opposing sides realise certain truths about each other as they try to get along. Rayna, Rayla and Mariposa all learn that the best thing anyone can be is themselves, which also causes them to see Mariposa in a different light. Overall, I’d say the film can be an ode to introverted bookworms everywhere, especially those that feel disconnected from the rest of the world for not conforming to societal norms.
Scene From Barbie Mariposa
Barbie: Princess Charm School
This film isn’t one of my prized favourites plot-wise, but it still deserves a spot on this list simply for the level of immersion it brings to the Barbie universe. ‘Modernised self-insert fantasy’ would be a fitting description for this one, seeing as the plot follows a commoner that wins an opportunity to become part of the royal court. Wouldn’t be surprised at how many of us dreamt of being whisked away to a distant castle, back when we were starry-eyed children secretly wanting to be royalty.
Barbie (as Blair Willows) is an orphan living with a foster family and is eventually revealed to be the true crown princess of Gardania. Her birth parents were murdered in a car accident orchestrated by her power hungry relative. It's an interesting plot on the surface, touching on aspects like tragedy and class discrimination. The plot holes in the film do become jarringly evident watching it as an adult, though. Like how Blair and her friends could have just gotten new uniforms from the magical changing curtains in their lockers when their existing ones got destroyed. Or how Blair’s past waitressing job should have knocked all the clumsiness out of her system, and not require her to relearn motor coordination when she arrives at the Princess Charm School. It’s an entertaining watch, regardless. Exactly the kind of empowering movie that fills the heads of children with beautiful dreams and wishes, and that’s a strength in itself.
Barbie (as Blair Willows) is an orphan living with a foster family and is eventually revealed to be the true crown princess of Gardania. Her birth parents were murdered in a car accident orchestrated by her power hungry relative. It's an interesting plot on the surface, touching on aspects like tragedy and class discrimination. The plot holes in the film do become jarringly evident watching it as an adult, though. Like how Blair and her friends could have just gotten new uniforms from the magical changing curtains in their lockers when their existing ones got destroyed. Or how Blair’s past waitressing job should have knocked all the clumsiness out of her system, and not require her to relearn motor coordination when she arrives at the Princess Charm School. It’s an entertaining watch, regardless. Exactly the kind of empowering movie that fills the heads of children with beautiful dreams and wishes, and that’s a strength in itself.
Scene from Barbie Charm School
Final Thoughts
There are, of course, a multitude of other iconic and higher rated films like The Princess and The Pauper, or Swan Lake that could have made this list. However, I’d like to highlight how everyone has their own experience of the Barbie universe, since not everyone will resonate with every single movie. It's astounding for a cinematic universe to be so diverse in story while entrancing millions of young souls for years on end. While I agree that the latest Barbie installments may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I look forward to what they have in store for us in the coming future.
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