The Barbie Movie: Power Distorted

I recently broke down and finally watched The Barbie Movie. I kept hearing about the "good messages" embedded in it, so I decided to give it a shot. Here's my honest review—spoilers included—and how this ties back to the deeper work of building healthy, conscious relationships.

My Review: Disappointed but Reflective

☹️ I FEEL SAD... that this is the message we’re still giving young people about what it means to be powerful.

The film starts with the women ruling Barbie Land while the Kens are portrayed as insecure, attention-seeking, and lacking purpose. Ok, nothing surprising there. It’s a Barbie movie after all. But things get more complicated when Barbie and Ken venture into "the real world."

Barbie quickly realizes her dreams of female empowerment don’t align with the reality she observes—women are still oppressed. Ken, however, enjoys the idea that men seem powerful and returns to Barbie Land to bring this "patriarchal" structure back with him.

This is where I had hope. When Barbie and the other women decide to reclaim their world, I thought, Yes! Here’s the moment where we find balance, where both genders work together to create something healthier. But… no. Instead of co-creating a conscious, collaborative society, the women simply regain their matriarchal dominance. The Kens are "allowed" lesser roles, but true equality? It’s not on the table.

Same story, different characters. The oppressed become the oppressors. Instead of unempowered women, we now have unempowered men, and nothing truly shifts.

How This Reflects Our Relationships

This movie isn’t just a reflection of gender dynamics—it’s a mirror for how many of us approach relationships, both with others and with ourselves. We often fall into power struggles, thinking that control equals strength. But in relationships—whether romantic, familial, or even professional—true power doesn’t come from domination or manipulation. It comes from authenticity, vulnerability, and mutual respect.

If we bring unresolved insecurities into our relationships, we might try to "win" by making the other person feel small. But that’s not empowerment—it’s fear in disguise. And it’s exhausting.

In the film, neither the patriarchal nor the matriarchal structure led to authentic empowerment. The same is true in our personal relationships. If we’re constantly swinging between control and submission, we’re missing the opportunity to build something deeper—a partnership rooted in equality and self-awareness.

And, is this the message we want to give our little girls, that power is taken through manipulation and control? Do we really want to give our little boys the message that they are weak, whiny, insignificant beings?

What kind of relationships will they grow up emulating?

What True Empowerment Looks Like

Authentic power comes from within. It’s not about "winning" over someone else, but about showing up as your whole, honest self. It means embracing your emotions, setting boundaries, and allowing others to do the same.

I did appreciate a few moments in the movie. Barbie’s journey into self-awareness was beautiful. I loved that she didn’t "choose" Ken but encouraged him to find his own path—a powerful message about not relying on relationships to complete us. I also appreciated how both Barbie and Ken were encouraged to feel and express their emotions.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I give the movie four thumbs down and one thumb up. 👎👎👎👎👍

While it missed the mark on what true empowerment and partnership could look like, it did spark important conversations about where we are as a society—and where we still need to go.

In our relationships, the goal isn’t to flip the script so the oppressed become the oppressors. The goal is to create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued—starting with ourselves. That’s the kind of power worth striving for.