It was the ultimate summer of movies if you were looking for trends, deep messages, and explosions, both literal and colorful. Barbenheimer, a combination of the “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” movies that came out on July 21, has taken the world by storm by enticing movie fans to watch the films on the same day. I did not have the opportunity to binge five hours worth of film in one day, but after watching the two movies in the span of three days, I came to some conclusions about the craze.
I watched “Oppenheimer” first, and although the three-hour story was too long, it was engaging. I recommend watching the Barbie movie first, as “Oppenheimer,” though impressive in its cinematography and visual effects, was very draining. “Barbie” is energetic and exciting, but the story was overshadowed by how long and intense “Oppenheimer” is. I was not as invested.
Overall, I liked “Oppenheimer” more than “Barbie.” From Barbie’s singing to Oppenheimer’s black-and-white scenes, the movies could not have been more different. However, I found both stories to be artistic and fun. “Oppenheimer” transitions from the creation of the atomic bomb to the political fallout of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s secret relationship with the Communist Party. I enjoy learning about history and politics, but the last hour seemed to be a complete shift away from the original bomb plotline. “Oppenheimer” successfully depicts Oppenheimer’s guilt over the construction of weapons of mass destruction and emphasizes the dangers of creating an arms race for nuclear warfare. The film showed us how destructive atomic bombs can be without really taking an ethical standpoint, a unique take.
“Barbie” did not shy away from reinforcing messages about feminism and the issues with patriarchy, but I enjoyed it less than “Oppenheimer.” Maybe it was because the World War II film left me questioning the future of the world and the morality of humans, but I enjoyed the characters less and the story felt random at points. The film addresses important subjects of gender norms, family, and belonging, but also briefly tries to comment on salient issues like capitalism, masculinity, and body image. At times, I felt that the film was trying to tackle too much at the same time. I would have liked if “Barbie ” had gone into depth on some vital topics rather than stretching too thin on many. The human characters were fun and brought the perspective of the “real world” to the Barbies, but the mother-daughter subplot was not explored enough.
Both films were well-made and visually engaging. I’m more inclined to enjoy Robert Oppenheimer’s story, but I appreciated both movies for bringing up important points and doing so in creative and imaginative ways.
