Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Barbie 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

All dressed up with somewhere to go.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 18, 2023

Greta Gerwig's box-office phenomenon Barbie needs no introduction, absolutely dominating pop culture consciousness during the second half of 2023 while generating plenty of critical praise to boot. Much like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, modest success was basically guaranteed on the strength of name value but it actually ended up making all the money during its theatrical run, sitting pretty as Warner Bros.' highest-grossing theatrical release in studio history. But unlike Mario's paint-by-numbers approach, this film aims for something a lot more meaningful and, while it doesn't cleanly land every punch, wide-eyed ambition and top-tier production design make Barbie a worthwhile experience.

During an opening and prolonged setup that winkingly reference both 2001 and The Matrix (don't worry, a few other WB properties are name-checked too), Barbie drops us head-first into a titular pink, plastic world where hundreds of different Barbies enjoy a lavish life of laughter, luxury, and leadership while a small army of Kens flexes at the beach. Its central figure is one that'll soon be known as "stereotypical Barbie" (Margot Robbie), whose perfect appearance and bubbly personality make her the life of any party. But soon enough, there's a crack in their dream world: stereotypical Barbie develops feelings of self-doubt, flat feet, cellulite, and even thinks about mortality. She meekly ventures out to visit "Weird Barbie" (Kate McKinnon), who confirms that it's due to a problem in the real world where Barbie's owner has somehow projected those negative feelings into Barbie Land. With stereotypical Ken (Ryan Gosling) tagging along, Barbie makes the magical trip to L.A., the home of her tween owner Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), Sasha's mom Gloria (America Ferrera), and the corporate headquarters of Mattel Toys run by a nameless CEO (Will Ferrell).

Needless to say, Barbie's bubble is popped immediately. No longer the beloved center of a matriarchal society, she's fully unequipped to navigate life in Los Angeles (is anyone?) and is soon hunted by Mattel, who has been alerted of her and Ken's departure from Barbie Land. Luckily Barbie is able to track down Sasha, but sadly she seems to have traded in childhood playtime for teenage pursuits. (Mom, on the other hand, isn't as willing to move on.) Aiding Barbie in her escape from potential imprisonment at Mattel, they soon return to her pink, plastic home world... despite the nagging fact that Ken seems to be enjoying his sudden and unexpected time in the male-dominated spotlight.

Barbie hits a few speed bumps in the home stretch, none more so than an extended sequence soon after the revolting alpha-male Kens threaten to overthrow Barbie Land, culminating in an even more over-the-top musical montage and "war" that wears out its welcome quickly. This sequence serves up a few solid gags (none better than a decades-late takedown of Matchbox 20's irritating 1997 single "Push") but is otherwise hampered by major mixed-message issues, temporarily derailing what's otherwise a surprisingly focused, thoughtful, and dare I say occasionally subtle takedown of, like, every possible side, including what I believe to be its primary target of corporate feminism. Bottom line: the fact that Barbie had to cram almost 70 years of nostalgia and questionable history into a feature film under the thumb of both Mattel and a major studio and it still turned out this polished? That's a minor miracle. Whatever your potential quibbles with its story may be, though, the film's production design, performances (especially Margot Robbie, who's just perfect), and overt enthusiasm use enough beauty cream to smooth over most of Barbie's wrinkles.

Originally teasing fans with a February 2024 home video debut (your guess is as good as mine), Barbie was recently announced unexpectedly for this mid-October release date which will undoubtedly make it a decently big seller during the upcoming holiday season. Available separately, WB's stand-alone 4K UHD edition and its Blu-ray only counterpart offer outstanding A/V merits; the extras are below average, but certainly not enough to spoil the party.

Barbie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: This review's screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray, which is available separately.

The candy-colored world of Barbie is brought to life spectacularly on Warner Bros.' triple-layer UHD, which sports a clean and vivid 2160p, HDR-enhanced transfer that unfortunately doesn't preserve the Dolby Vision of select theatrical showings but finds a suitable substitute with HDR10. (At this point in the home theater landscape, most people won't be affected.) Any way you slice it, this is an outstanding-looking picture that serves up tack-sharp fine detail and crisp textures, from clothing fibers and perfect hair strands to colorful design patterns and the artificial turf of Barbie's lawn. Pink is unsurprisingly dominant, with all range of pastels and fluorescent shades making the film's bookends a true visual standout. Highlights still arrive in "the real world", from the comparably monochrome values of Mattel's cubicle farm to sunny Los Angeles backdrops and Barbie and Ken's bright leotards and Western wear. The HDR grade works overtime to let certain hues run wild while reigning in others, providing a necessary dynamic to heighten the different atmospheres of its opposing worlds. Black levels, contrast, and subtle gradients hold up perfectly, and the supportive bit rate provided by this UHD's ample 100GB disc space ensures a smooth and stable presentation that doesn't fall victim to banding, posterization, or macro blocking. In short, it's a great-looking disc and won't disappoint.

Barbie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Equally impressive is Barbie's Dolby Atmos presentation, which is closer to a regular 7.1 track than expected yet offers a handful of height-exclusive sonic touches. But if you're like most and haven't adopted that newer format, very little is lost in the downmix and you'll still find this to be a supportively powerful and dynamic effort. Vibrant scenes in Barbie Land are obvious standouts, where front-forward music combines with occasionally enveloping background effects and swirling dialogue, while "the real world" follows suit with a more down-to-earth but nonetheless immersive atmosphere where crowd noise and other location-based elements make their presence known during key moments. Still, the bulk of its weight comes from the front three channels with occasional punches of LFE, where the mid-rage enjoys strong representation while leaving plenty of room for deeper lows. It's an effective presentation that mirrors the visuals in overall "feel", if that makes sense, which often makes this mix just as impactful as its HDR delights.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and extras below.

Barbie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a frustratingly black keepcase with glittery cover artwork, a matching slipcover, and a Digital Copy code. Extras are limited to a half-dozen surface-level behind-the-scenes featurettes, which is disappointing given the film's themes, outstanding production design, and massive box office success.

• It's A Weird World (5:03) - Margot Robbie, Kate McKinnon, Greta Gerwig, and others briefly talk about McKinnon's "Weird Barbie" character and her unique place in Barbie Land.

• All-Star Barbie Party (4:57) - The above participants, along with Ryan Gosling and producer David Heyman, discuss the casting process and fun, light-hearted on-set vibe.

• Musical Make-Believe (9:11) - A breakdown of the colorful dance party sequence early on in the film, complete with rehearsal footage and comments from cast and crew members.

• Becoming Barbie (6:29) - Margot Robbie and others talk about her central role and physical transformation into Barbie, including costumes, makeup, hairstyles, and even a few scrapped ideas.

• Welcome to Barbie Land (12:01) - Barbie's production design gets a bit of love here, including its colorful sets and other "authentically artificial" elements, as well as the importance of a childhood perspective.

• Playing Dress-Up (7:27) - Key cast and crew members discuss the extensive costume design.

Barbie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The surprisingly something-for-everyone enjoyment value of Barbie was a mild shock to yours truly, proving that its 2023 box-office dominance was hardly a fluke. (June's "Barbenheimer" phenomenon helped a little, of course.) This is an ambitious story and, though it hits a few speed bumps in the home stretch, Barbie certainly has great moments and the performances and production design to match. Like its ticket sales, Warner Bros.' sorta-surprise release window will make it a huge holiday seller on home video (relatively speaking, at least), even if the bonus features and packaging feel less than inspired. Barbie is a terrific looking and sounding production, and this 4K UHD release is clearly the version to beat with its razor-sharp detail and drop-dead gorgeous colors. Highly Recommended.