Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie Review

That boat's sailed. But it's back for more!

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 3, 2015

It's Barbie. It's music. It would be the perfect marriage if it weren't for the pesky little fact that those two have been down the aisle many, many times before, just not so explicitly as they are in Barbie in Rock'n Royals. Barbie's latest home video outings have been as much music video as they have been colorful story -- and sometimes it's hard to hear beyond the sound and see beyond the color -- with each outing a sugary blend of eye and ear candy that only the smallest fans could love. But as with the rest of the series, the films are also hard to loathe. Targeted and repetitive as they may be, the Barbie franchise has its formula down to a science that works well enough, combining cheery superficialities with a slightly deeper core message on ideas like finding one's true self, trying new things, and accepting the world with open arms. And those just so happen to be the key themes in Barbie in Rock'n Royals, the latest adventure that sees Barbie, er, Princess Courtney, forced to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings when a mishap -- or is it fate? -- takes her out of her comfort zone.

Princess Courtney misses the boat, but not the adventure.

Princess Courtney (voiced by Kelly Sheridan) is on her way to a camp tailored for people just like her: royalty. The camp, aptly named Camp Royalty, shares an island with a camp for the musically inclined, aptly named Camp Pop. The two camps are unsurprisingly in competition, which is fueled not only by geography but also a shared history between their heads, Royalty's Lady Anne (voiced by Nicole Oliver) and Pop's Finn (voiced by Michael Dobson). But a mishap on the pier puts Courtney on the boat headed for Camp Pop and a real-life Pop superstar named Erika Juno (voiced by Chiara Zanni) on the boat headed for Camp Royalty. When Lady Anne learns that Erika is at Camp Royalty, she suggests that the camps hold a sing-off with winner taking all the island and the losing camp closing its doors. As practice for the competition heats up, both Courtney and Erika must adapt to their new surroundings while also, somehow, working together to save one of the camps from closure.

Barbie in Rock'n Royals tells a classic "fish out of water" story that sees a Pop Princess and a regular princess trading places and forced to adapt to their new surroundings, which are really more about the people they encounter and the attitudes they bring with them than it is geography. It's a film about not only leaving one's comfort zone, but taking the time to explore, to soak it in, to see and appreciate the wider world that exists beyond one's own little bubble. While the adults are adults -- always the scheming sort out to one-up their rivals with sinister sneers strewn across their faces -- the teens end up embracing change while setting aside preconceived notions about themselves and one another. It's all very much the standard core story found in these sorts of movies, and as always, it's more the getting there and the adventure, rather than the destination, that matters. The filmmakers and parents just hope that the kids will find the positive through all of the superficial excess.

Indeed, Barbie in Rock'n Royals does all of that in typical barbie fashion, with all the sugary sweet tunes and cheery colors fans have come to expect from this 21st century digital world in which the characters exist. It's a very plastic-y movie, very digital and, in many ways, crude when compared to higher end kid stuff, but it at least recreates the basic, somehow inorganic yet relatable, feel of the dolls and toys. The movie is endlessly colorful and cheery, perhaps not quite so loud as some of the previous entries but still not short on raw eye candy spectacle. It's the sort of movie in which one can make a personal rainbow with a magic wand or find cruise ships sailing through pink and purple mist while surrounded by shooting stars because, well, it's Barbie. The movie has all of the superficial goodness the kids will love, have grown to love, and come to expect from the franchise. Add in some dueling summer camp antics (why does just about every camp movie revolve around some plot to close it down?) and a reason for all that music, and this might be the most popular Barbie movie on Blu-ray yet.

Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Barbie in Rock'n Royals looks like just about all the other recent Barbie releases. The animation is simplistic but effective in showcasing crisp details around the frame, be they environmental objects or characters and clothing. The 1080p resolution allows for a greater sharpness and nuanced detailing, not to mention more vibrant colors, of which there are plenty. Pinks, purples, reds, and blues lead the way, each lacking much variety but yielding eye-popping results in every scene. Mild aliasing appears at times but this is otherwise a stable, kid-friendly presentation from Universal.

Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Barbie in Rock'n Royals features a vibrant DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Music is unquestionably king (princess?) here, with all of the high energy beats spilling into the soundstage with an aggressive, but balanced, posture. Surrounds are fully active, the subwoofer kicks with a healthy thump, and clarity is excellent throughout the range. The track also yields some impressive support effects, like light environmental details or things a bit more on the intensive side of the ledger, like piercing microphone feedback. Dialogue is presented neatly up the middle with no issues related to prioritization or vocal definition.

Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Barbie in Rock'n Royals contains two music videos (1080p) -- "What If I Shine Remix" (3:17) and "Raise Our Voices" (3:07) -- and the "What a Day" Motion Comic (1080p, 1:57) that features the Super Sparkle hero character in a brief adventure. Previews for Barbie Spy Squad, Barbie & Her Sisters in The Great Puppy Adventure, Barbie in Princess Power, Barbie and the Secret Door, Barbie The Pearl Princess, and The Barbie Movie Collection are also included. Inside the Blu-ray case, buyers will find a DVD copy of the film as well as a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy.

Barbie in Rock'n Royals Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Barbie in Rock'n Royals doesn't shake up the formula, it just focuses it. Colors might be a little toned down compared to previous entries but the music is more purposeful and critical to the central story. The story still enjoys the classic beats that center around acceptance and a greater understanding of the larger world, which starts with oneself. It's a suitably fun movie, obviously better suited for the little ones but it's hardly torture on adults, even if they're (more than likely) enjoying the kids enjoying it more than enjoying the movie. Universal's Blu-ray release of Barbie in Rock'n Royals features good quality video, excellent audio, and a few little bonuses. Buy it; the kids are already screaming for it, aren't they?