During the height of World War II, theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is recruited by the U.S. government to lead the Manhattan Project, a top-secret effort to develop the atomic bomb before Nazi Germany. Bringing together the world's brightest scientific minds at a remote laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Oppenheimer oversees the creation of a weapon of mass destruction that will end the war but forever alter the course of human history and his own conscience.
Information |
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Language |
English |
Country |
United States United Kingdom |
Premiere date |
July 21, 2023 |
Running time |
180 minutes |
Genre |
Biopic History Drama Thriller |
Budget |
$100,000,000 |
Box Office |
$976,128,154 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
Christopher Nolan |
Produced by |
Emma Thomas Charles Roven Christopher Nolan |
Written by |
Christopher Nolan |
Music by |
Ludwig Göransson |
Cinematography |
Hoyte van Hoytema |
Edited by |
Jennifer Lame |
Production Co. |
Syncopy Atlas Entertainment |
Distributed by |
Universal Pictures |
Top Cast |
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Official Trailer |
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The Plot
The Dawn of Girlhood
The story begins with a grand, parodic homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey. A narrator explains that since the beginning of time, little girls only had baby dolls, forcing them to roleplay exclusively as mothers. This paradigm is shattered when a colossal, monolithic Barbie appears in a prehistoric landscape. Mesmerized by her beauty and adult independence, the little girls violently smash their porcelain baby dolls to pieces. This revolution ushers in a new era where Barbie can be anything, ostensibly solving all problems of feminism and equal rights in the real world—or so the dolls believe.
Life in the Dreamhouse
In the vibrant, plastic utopia of Barbie Land, "Stereotypical Barbie" lives a perfect existence alongside a diverse array of other Barbies, including President Barbie, Physicist Barbie, Writer Barbie, and Mermaid Barbies. There is also a pregnant doll named Midge and a singular, awkward doll named Allan. The Kens, meanwhile, exist solely within the warmth of the Barbies’ gaze; they have no jobs, homes, or purpose without them. Stereotypical Barbie’s Ken is deeply infatuated with her but finds himself in a constant, petty rivalry with Tourist Ken, leading to a confrontation where they threaten to "beach" each other off.
The day culminates in a spectacular, choreographed dance party at Barbie’s Dreamhouse. The vibes are immaculate until Barbie suddenly stops dancing and loudly asks, "Do you guys ever think about dying?" The music screeches to a halt, and the room falls into a terrified silence. Barbie laughs it off to restore the mood, but the damage is done.
Malfunction and the Weird Barbie
The next morning, Barbie’s perfect routine unravels. Her imaginary shower is cold, her waffle burns, she falls off her roof instead of floating, and—most horrifically—her perpetually arched feet go flat, and she discovers cellulite on her thigh. Desperate for answers, she visits "Weird Barbie," an outcast doll living in a brutalist house on the hill, whose hair is chopped off and face covered in marker scribbles from being played with "too hard." Weird Barbie explains that a rift has opened between Barbie Land and the Real World. The child playing with Barbie’s real-world counterpart is sad, projecting her angst onto the doll. To fix the glitch, Barbie must travel to the Real World and heal the bond.
The Real World
Barbie embarks on a journey through various plastic landscapes, singing along to the radio, only to discover that Ken has stowed away in the back seat of her convertible. Reluctantly, she allows him to join her. Upon rollerblading into Venice Beach, they are immediately confronted by the harsh realities of Los Angeles. Barbie is sexually harassed by a male pedestrian and, in a reflex, punches him in the face, leading to their arrest. After a brief stint in jail, they are released, and Barbie sets out to find her owner.
While Ken wanders off and becomes fascinated by the way men command respect in the real world, Barbie has a quiet, profound moment on a park bench. She observes the complexity of human emotion around her and tears up. Turning to an elderly woman sitting next to her, Barbie tells her, "You’re beautiful." The woman smiles warmly and replies, "I know."
Sasha and the Mattel Chase
Guided by her visions, Barbie locates Sasha, a moody high school student. Expecting a warm welcome, Barbie is devastated when Sasha and her friends eviscerate her, labeling her a "fascist" and criticizing her for perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards that have set the feminist movement back decades. Sasha claims she hasn't played with Barbies since she was a child. Heartbroken, Barbie is extracted by Mattel executives who have been alerted to her presence.
At Mattel headquarters, the CEO attempts to force Barbie back into a giant toy box to "repackage" her and restore order. Barbie almost complies but panics when she realizes the box restricts her breath. She escapes, leading the executives on a chase through the building. Meanwhile, Ken, having discovered books on history and corporate culture, realizes that the Real World is run by men—a concept he identifies as "The Patriarchy." He returns to Barbie Land alone, eager to implement his new findings. Barbie is rescued from Mattel by Gloria, a Mattel employee and Sasha’s mother. It is revealed that Gloria, not Sasha, is the one playing with Barbie’s old dolls; her existential crisis and drawings of "Irrepressible Thoughts of Death Barbie" caused Barbie’s glitches.
Welcome to the Kendom
Barbie, Gloria, and Sasha return to Barbie Land, only to find it unrecognizable. Ken has corrupted the utopian society with his misunderstood version of patriarchy. The Dreamhouses have been converted into "Mojo Dojo Casa Houses" filled with mini-fridges and horse imagery. The Barbies have been brainwashed into submissive roles, serving the Kens "brewski beers" and foot rubs. Ken, now wearing a faux-mink coat, rebuffs Barbie’s plea to return things to normal, explaining that he finally feels respected and powerful. He reveals plans to alter the constitution to enshrine male rule permanently.
Crushed and feeling she is no longer "perfect" enough to lead, Barbie falls into a deep depression. Gloria and Sasha attempt to drive back to the Real World but are intercepted by Allan, who is desperate to escape the toxic masculinity of the Kens. He single-handedly fights off a group of construction-worker Kens to protect the humans. Seeing Barbie’s despair, Sasha admits she was wrong to be so harsh and convinces her mother that they should return to help fix Barbie Land.
Deprogramming the Dolls
The group finds Barbie at Weird Barbie’s house, catatonic and describing herself as ugly. Gloria rouses her with an impassioned, unplanned monologue about the contradictory and impossible standards imposed on women in the modern world. The speech resonates deeply, snapping Barbie out of her trance. Realizing the brainwashed Barbies can be deprogrammed by hearing this truth, they devise a plan. They kidnap the Barbies one by one, using Gloria’s words to break the Kens’ spell over them.
The Battle of the Kens
Once the Barbies regain their agency, they manipulate the Kens by playing to their egos and then ignoring them to incite jealousy. The plan works perfectly: the Kens turn on each other, leading to a massive civil war on the beach. As the Barbies sneak away to the capital to vote against the constitutional change, the Kens’ battle evolves into a surreal, heartfelt dream-ballet sequence set to the power ballad "I'm Just Ken." Realizing that fighting is futile, the Kens eventually reconcile.
Resolution and Purpose
With the constitution saved and Barbie Land restored, Barbie comforts a sobbing Ken. He admits he doesn't know who he is without her. Barbie apologizes for taking him for granted but insists he must figure out his own identity as "Just Ken," separate from her. The Mattel CEO and his board arrive, ready to take credit for the resolution, but they are interrupted by the ghost of Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie.
Ruth takes Barbie aside to a white void. She explains that while Barbie was created as an idea, ideas live forever, but humans die. She tells Barbie that being human is an uncomfortable, messy choice that she must make for herself. Barbie closes her eyes and sees a montage of women of all ages—mothers, daughters, sisters—experiencing the full spectrum of joy and sorrow. With tears in her eyes, Barbie chooses humanity, deciding she wants to be part of the people who make meaning, rather than just a thing that is made.
The Final Appointment
Some time later, in the Real World, Barbie—now wearing flat Birkenstocks and going by the name "Barbara Handler"—is dropped off at an office building by Gloria and Sasha, who wish her luck. She walks confidently up to the front desk and announces with a beaming smile: "I’m here to see my gynecologist."
