The New ‘Barbie’ Trailer Is One Of The Best Movie Trailers I’ve Seen In Ages

I have no idea what the Barbie movie is actually about, other than its main characters, Barbie and Ken. And Barbie and Ken. And those other Barbies. And that Ken. Everyone is named Barbie or Ken in this movie, I know that much.

I also know that . . . .

• Ken doesn’t go anywhere without his roller blades.
• Ken and Barbie are boyfriend and girlfriend but have no idea what sex is (and if my experience with Barbie dolls means anything, none of the parts required either).
• They live in a pink world on the beach.
• Barbie drives a self-driving plastic car.
• Greta Gerwig (Little Women) is the director.
• The cast is the very definition of star-studded. Alongside stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling we have Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell and so many others.
• Ken and Asian Ken have a rivalry that, at the end of the trailer, spills over into a ‘beach off’ gag that is genuinely hilarious.

Oh, and I know that this movie has a wonderfully short 1 hour and 40 minute runtime, bucking the trend of overly-long movies we’ve been suffering through lately. Under two hours!? Will wonders never cease?

Other than that, I have no idea what this movie is about after watching the above trailer and that, dear readers, is awesome. That’s aces. Straight magic. Most movie trailers these days give away 90% of the plot and half the gags and you walk away pretty sure you know what’s going to happen. But this trailer is a master-class in how to craft trailers that give away nothing. Nothing!

There’s this tagline in the trailer’s description:

“To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.”

That doesn’t give away much, either, though we now know that the Barbie is having some kind of existential crisis which will serve as the impetus for whatever adventure she goes on and the ensuing conflict and story. I can predict stuff, like her character arc, gradual awakening to self-awareness and self-doubt, some kind of cathartic release etc. But I have no idea if I’m right or what the plot will actually be beyond this based on this trailer. And that makes it a real diamond in the rough.

Barbie looks surprisingly good. I can’t wait. But if Aqua’s song ‘Barbie Girl’ isn’t in the movie at some point, we riot. That is all.

P.S. I’m getting LEGO Movie vibes, but maybe slightly more adult-leaning. That was also a surprisingly great movie.

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