MovieChat Forums > Barbie (2023) Discussion > Ken and his struggles

Ken and his struggles

posted 2 years ago by emori (3674)
4 replies | jump to latest

It was actually funny how movie kept lecturing me how I should hate men and root for Barbies to "show them and put them down" but whole movie I cared only about Ken. He was literally the biggest victim and tortured soul here. And the only one who overcome it at the end and learned a lesson.

Barbie - had a privileged perfect live from the moment she was created. Had her big house and everyone adored her. Threw a huge tantrum when came to real world and saw that no one bows to her privileged ass treat her like an ordinary person instead if princes.

Ken - was created to be Barbies accessory. Thats his only purpose. Didn't even had his own house. Had to stay at the beach doing nothing his whole existence. Was programmed to love Barbie. He didnt fell in love with her, he was programmed to be her partner. Then went to real world and was shocked that people treated him there like he was a real person and not silent accessory. He enjoyed being "seen" and went home to change things. Basically whole movie he screamed that he Was A Person and Wants To Exist. Movie made him villain for that.

I actually liked the ending they gave him. They admitted that he was programmed to love Barbie and doesnt actually love her. And they set him free and let him be a person he wants to be and find his own way. They didnt force this "love ending" for him and Barbie. Since Barbie has no feelings for him at all.

[–] bond998 (1213) 2 years ago

Yeah you got love when writers are so focus on there agenda they accidently make there supposed villian into the hero of the movie.

[–] papamihel (1616) 2 years ago

Someone on my Facebook feed suggested that Ken's journey was an allegory for women emancipation - the writers simply reversed it.

Now, I haven't seen the movie nor do I intend to, so it's up to you to decide if this is a plausible explanation and was it properly realized.

[–] emori (3674) 2 years ago

They basically mirrored whole Men - Women dynamics that went for centuries. Buy I dont think they actually realized it. Because performative woke people are not self aware. Like Gretta Gerwig obviously is.

There was unintentionally hilarious moment at the end when Barbies won and make peace with Kens. And even allowed few Kens to have actual jobs. And when one Ken happily started asking for this and that jobs, like to be judge or something, they told him no and gave smaller job saying something like "small things at a time". Which was hilarious since whole movie was about Equality between men and women and how patriarchy men suppress women and dont let them be equal. And its a bad thing and women should get as many rights as men and as many job opportunities.

But then women are in charge at Barbie land and Kens had their emancipation and were allowed to work. But women were like: "No honey, you will not be equal with us and get job opportunities. LOL. One small step at a time. be happy we allowed you some work at all". Basically doing the exact thing men were dong in the 50-th.

[–] capuchin (3358) 2 years ago

I haven't seen it either, but it's fairly obvious from the descriptions from both people who liked it and its detractors that, yes, they've just reversed gender positions to make a point. And people (wilfully for the most part, but in some cases because they're not very bright) are failing to see the irony.