Folks, we are less than two weeks away from what social media has dubbed, “Barbenheimer.” That’s when, on July 21, both Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” arrive in theaters. While we don’t know the outcome of such a cataclysmic box office event, people are excited by the idea of going to the cinema to see the funloving story of a toy that changed the world, as well as Gerwig’s “Barbie.” (I kid, I kid.)
And to help raise the hype for Barbenhemier even more, we have the first social media reactions to “Barbie” that are, as you might expect from social media reactions, hyperbolic, but also very complimentary. For those unaware, “Barbie” tells the meta-story of the popular Mattel toy, played by a variety of actresses led by Margot Robbie. The hype surrounding the film has been building for months, as folks are desperate to find out what Greta Gerwig can bring to the franchise, as everyone is expecting something a bit more subversive than just a straight-up toy-turned-movie experience.
Variety’s Katcy Stephan went so far as to call the film “perfection.” Critic Sharronda Williams called the film “witty, heartfelt, and downright fun.” These sentiments are further echoed by ScreenRant’s Joseph Deckelmeier who described the film as “funny, bombastic, and very smart.” Clearly, the early reactions are over the moon with Gerwig’s film.
It almost goes without saying, in 2023, that social media reactions from critics leaving a premiere should be taken with a grain of salt. There have been many, many times when initial thoughts are much more excited than calm thinking. So, even though some might call the film “perfection” right now, let’s wait for the full context of a written review before we hand the Oscar to Gerwig and Co. next year.
“Barbie” opens in theaters on July 21. You can find a portion of the social media reactions to “Barbie” below.