Barbiemay be a massive success, but it is also a movie that should be left alone. Hollywood enjoys capitalizing on big successes in never-ending franchises likeTransformers, The Fast and the Furious,Mission Impossible,andThe Marvel Cinematic Universe.Barbiemay have proven itself as being one of the biggest blockbusters of 2023, but it should remain that way, rather than studios trying to force a sequel out of it. Barbie and Ken’s stories have been told, and nothing needs to be added to the eccentric Barbieland and real world thatBarbieintroduced to the audience. While some sequels have been known to be solid additions to the story, such asShrek 2andToy Story 2, and were good movies in their own right, Hollywood has had a bad habit of leaning hard into sequels, reboots, and remakes, andBarbieis perfectly fine on its own.
Sequels can run the risk of losing the enjoyment the original film introduced, or if its quality does not match the original, could be considered a disappointment. While some sequels have been able to justify their existence, or have been a fun story in general, not every movie needs one, andBarbiesummed itself up solidly in the end.
Barbieland Could Risk Losing its Charm
Barbieland is an eccentric and charismatic place, but trying to revisit it in another movie may not be the best idea. One of the greatest elements of Barbieland is the unexpectedness of it all. All the different Barbies and Kens, along with the one Allan, and the rules of the world play heavily into how children actually play with toys, including feeding toys but them being unable to eat, all play into the charm of seeing it for the first time. While it may retain that enjoyment when re-watchingBarbie, trying to bring that back into a sequel with a sense of expectation may hurt what the film had created.
Barbie’s Adventure Has a Solid Ending
By the time the end credits roll, Barbie’s adventure has a solid conclusion. She has gone on her adventure and seen the dangerous truths of the real world. Rather than remain in her blissfully happy home, Barbie determines that the best way to help change the world is to be a part of it. Leaving everything she knows behind, Barbie embarks on a brand-new journey that allows her to understand the entirety of human existence.
None of the Kens Exhibit a Reason for Larger Character Growth
He may be just Ken, but he is important too. Ken’s character growth, while initially jumping in the horribly wrong direction, allows him to come back down from his cries for patriarchy, horses, andMatchbox Twenty’s “Push.“But, it also allows an important question to rise for Ken. Who is he without Barbie? His life has been entwined with Barbie’s forever, and he has never had a purpose outside of standing beside her. So, how can he find an identity for himself? Ken’s identity crisis, mixed with Barbie’s character growth, allows them to have a more honest conversation about their relationship and acknowledge each other’s perspective.
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The Barbies Are Satisfied with the World They Live in
AsBarbiecomes to an end, and the Barbies regain control over Barbieland, only Stereotypical Barbie has made the decision that she does not identify as “Barbie” anymore, and wants to move on. Otherwise, the rest of the Barbies show no interest in leaving their lives or world behind. The Barbies begin to work out a system with the Kens where the Kens have slightly more of a say, to the point where there is even a sting about how men will have as much of a say in Barbieland’s government as women have in the real world. However, even going that far suggests that while Barbieland may develop, no one else shows an interest in leaving.
Gloria and Sasha’s Dynamic Has a Perfect Balance
Gloria and Sasha’s troubling mother-daughter dynamic is a perfect balance of camaraderie and separation that occurs as Sasha tries to find herself as a teenager and young woman. She is growing out of her childhood phase, looking ahead to what is coming next for her. Meanwhile, Gloria, missing the old days of having fun with her daughter, and facing loneliness in her life and job, looks back at the nostalgia of simplicity in playing with toys. They argue, but they will also work together, and it is a relationship that works perfectly for the movie.
Sequels Can Hurt the Story
Sequels can be dangerous. They may not keep the tone of the original film. The characters can act contradictory to what they had been shown to do previously to fit the story. The story can reach a bit too far in order to try to come up with a reason why there needed to be a sequel at all.Barbieis a perfect stand-alone film that does not need to risk itself by trying to sell a story about what could be next for the Barbies and Kens.
Barbie Was a One in a Million Success
Barbiemanaged to hit a billion dollarsas a film that was not a sequel, reboot, remake, or superhero film. It was not a movie based on a true story, either. In fact,Barbiemay have premiered at the perfect point in time for its success to be what it was, showing that people were ready for this movie. An original film that understands the trials and tribulations of being a woman in the world, playing into that reality through the perspective of an iconic toy, using a satirical tone to push it forward.Barbieknew exactly what it wanted to be.
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The Characters Conclude Where They Should
Considering that Stereotypical Barbie is the only Barbie to step outside Barbieland, if the rest of the Barbies wanted to leave their world behind, it would not make any sense. Only Stereotypical Barbie understands what the world outside is like and has a legitimate motivation and character development to back up her decision. Ken does not get as solid an ending as Barbie, but even that plays into the reality that although Ken wants to be important, he is not entirely sure what he wants other than to have a place and an identity.
The Message of the Film Is Clear
Gloria’s speech may play a role in kicking home the message of the movie, but just because she gives a speech does not make it less important.Barbiewanted to be about more than bringing a toy to life, and it did that by leaning into the importance of feminism and the dangers of patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Everyone deserves an identity and to find a way to find themselves. But there is something different about how the world looks at women and men.
The Story Is Complete
Between the characters all ending in a good place for the narrative and the story itself reaching an end, there is no need to continue. The story feels as complete as it could get, and even a cliffhanger ending could not have suggested a need for a sequel.Barbiegets the job done in one movie, and in doing so eliminates the need to revisit these characters in another story.
