Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Barbie: Star Light Adventure Blu-ray Movie Review

Barbie goes Sci-Fi.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 17, 2016

To the stars! Barbie leaves her terrestrial comfort zone for an interstellar story in Barbie: Star Light Adventure, a film that puts the world famous figure in the middle of a galactic plan to save the universe's light. Even as the film ventures beyond its more traditional borders -- more familiar lands of magic, excitement, and high technology -- it remains comfortably constructed around the same basic themes of trust, friendship, and faith in one's abilities and place in the world, or here, universe. It's as colorful as one would expect, not all that dramatically imaginative by any measure, but it is a fun little jaunt through the colorful environments, fun-loving adventures, and well-meaning themes fans have come to expect from the series.

Barbie! Ah-ahh! Savior of the universe!

Barbie (voiced by Erica Lindbeck) is living on a strange world with her widower father. She enjoys the company of a mysterious flying creature called a "Pupcorn" that will one day transform into another creature. One day, Barbie receives an invitation to join an elite group of adventurers whose mission is to restore order to the cosmos. For as long as anyone can remember, the starlight has kept the galaxy in harmony, but prophecy has foretold of the stars' dimming and also of an individual who will restore harmony to them, a person said to have the heart of a leader. Barbie joins elite company and trains hard for the mission. Can she learn to trust herself and her new friends in her most important quest yet and fulfill what may very well be her destiny?

Barbie: Star Light Adventure was made for a younger audience, so viewing it from an adult, and critical, perspective almost necessarily means it's impossible to watch it exactly as it was intended. For example, it takes no more than a minute to peg exactly how the movie will play out. No, it doesn't telegraph every little movement, but when the audience learns of the prophecy of the one who restore the light to the universe, there's no mistaking that that person will be Barbie. But along the way to its predictable end comes more predicable, but still both fun-loving and well-meaning, concepts that reinforce some of the greater ideas introduced throughout the movie. Barbie must learn to trust herself. She must learn to fit in with others. She must understand the world, or universe, around her. As the film drives to its inevitable conclusion, it does well to build up its characters and champion some good core values along the way. That may not be what matters more to the target audience, but it will leave grown-ups comfortable that otherwise bright and shiny digital entertainment has something of value to say along the way.

Just as the themes are rather generic but nicely presented, so too is the rest of the movie. There's no mistaking this is a Barbie movie. It's abundantly colorful, splashing the screen with all variety of neon pinks, purples, and blues. Practically everything in every frame is at least accented or surrounded by enough color to push any display to its limits, even if there is a distinct lack of nuance. The film further constructs an interesting collection of Sci-Fi elements, from wardrobe to spaceships, with some cool tech and interesting "training" regimens on display, which amount to little more than an excuse for the movie to engage in high-flying, quick-moving, and theme- and character-building exercises. It's all done very well, lightly to be sure and playing more on generic genre themes and ideas, but it's a nice mix of empowerment entertainment meets some classic Sci-Fi stylings that should at least help adults maintain a semblance of interest as they watch with their younger ones.

Barbie: Star Light Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It's Barbie, so that must mean lots and lots of color. Pinks, purples, and blues to be precise. Barbie: Star Light Adventure never fails to splash these colors onto the screen. Clothes, hair, accents, creatures, environments, nothing is spared the Barbie color treatment. Other shades come into play, too, notably rich natural greens on her home planet, but the predominance of pink, purple, and blue defines the movie and, really, the entire video presentation. Detail is fine. The animation isn't the most complex in existence, favoring a somewhat plastic-y texture that stays in line with the toys, but the Blu-ray is certainly adept at bringing out the finest textural nuances the digital artists have placed in the movie, evident largely on attire and various creatures. Light banding and occasional bursts of aliasing interfere, but the little ones shouldn't care. Beyond those bugaboos, this is a very nice and stable presentation from Universal.

Barbie: Star Light Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Barbie: Star Light Adventure features a high energy and very involved DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is full powered and very aggressive, particularly in its engagement of the surrounds and the subwoofer. Both are used to enjoyable effect, each pushed nearly to extreme but preserving a sense of balance to the presentation. Bass is plentiful and deep, supporting effects and music alike with both depth and weight. Surround activity is high and expertly folded into the mains for a stage saturating presentation. Effects are clear and detailed. Positioning is natural in reference to the happenings on-screen. Movement is smooth around the stage. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized with natural front-center placement. A very good example of reverberation comes around the 20-minute mark when Barbie enters a cavernous hall.

Barbie: Star Light Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Barbie: Star Light Adventure contains a couple of music videos, "bloopers," and two shorts. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.

• Music Video (1080p, 3:38): "Firefly."
• Lyric Video (1080p, 3:38): "Firefly." The words of the song appear on-screen in big, bold, colorful letters.
• Music Video (1080p, 2:39): "Shooting Star."
• Lyric Video (1080p, 2:39): "Shooting Star." The words of the song appear on-screen in big, bold, colorful letters.
• Bloopers (1080p, 1:36): Manufactured funny moments from the "shoot."
• Barbie Dreamtopia (1080p, 6:21): Chelsea helps Barbie get ready for the jubilee, and she loses a clump of her hair. The episode is entitled "Wispy Forest."
• Barbie Dreamtopia (1080p, 6:14): Chelsea arrives in Rainbow Cove and helps save its colors by finding a magical stone. The episode is entitled "Rainbow Cove."

Barbie: Star Light Adventure Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Barbie: Star Light Adventure certainly doesn't break any new ground, even with its Sci-Fi stylings and storyline. Beyond the fresh, but familiar, coat of paint is an equally familiar collection of themes that are fine and comfortable within the Barbie universe. The film will appeal to series fans, and some of the Sci-Fi-minded adults might find it a bit more palatable than most franchise films, color assault and all. Universal's Blu-ray release of Barbie: Star Light Adventure features solid video and excellent audio. Supplements are few but should appeal to the younger ones. Recommended.