Matt Walsh unveils the "hidden feminist propaganda" behind Barbie movie that no one saw coming

Barbie has been one of the most talked-about movies in recent times. The Greta Gerwig directorial, released on July 21, had a massively successful opening weekend, earning about $377 million from the box office, thereby making it the biggest debut ever for a film helmed by a woman, as per the Guardian.

Given its soaring popularity, there have been a wide variety of opinions regarding the Margot Robbie-led film, and one such opinion has come from famous film critic Matt Walsh. The Daily Wire host did not hold back when expressing his opinion about the film on his YouTube channel, stating that it has a "hidden feminist propaganda."

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Barbie movie.

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Matt Walsh and his take on the Barbie movie

Daily Wire host Matt Walsh has never been one to hold his tongue when expressing his opinions. Throughout his YouTube career, Walsh has been very critical of how modern Western movies and series focus too much on giving political messages that he deems as too divisive.

In the case of Barbie, too, the commentator had some similar remarks:

“Now, if anyone deserves the credit, though, for the biggest box office debut for any female director in history, it is not the female director but the marketing department, because they’re the ones who knew enough to lie about the true content and message of the film,” Walsh said.

The commentator also labeled the movie as a "preachy feminist screed about taking down the patriarchy." He also reads out other positive reviews of the film, noting how they "didn’t tout this thing as a master thesis on feminism in the trailer.”

Speaking about how the film gets across its message, Walsh claimed:

“Dangle a funny and fun and nostalgic and family-friendly Barbie film in front of the audience. And then when you have them in the seat, whack them over the head with the feminist stick, sell them the Barbie doll, and let them open the package and find Gloria Steinem inside.”

However, a big point that is worth taking into account, is that Walsh also specifically stated that he hasn't watched the film and that this assumption is a direct result of the most popular reviews:

"I’d rather jump feet first into a woodchipper than sit through that film. I don’t need to watch Barbie to know that it’s bad for the same reason that I don’t need to pull a rotten onion out of the garbage and eat it in order to know that I won’t like the taste...So some books can be judged by their covers.”

In the episode, Walsh also pointed out how Ken and the many different men in the movie are depicted as "stupid," "useless," and sometimes even "predatory and in control of everything," especially in the real world setting of the film.

Walsh finished the episode by claiming that the marketing team for the film knew that the theme of "feminism" wouldn't work to draw in crowds and thus "tucked it under all the pink and plastic."

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The film and its story

Margot Robbie as the titular doll (Image via Warner Bros).

Barbie takes place in Barbieland, a fictional world where the titular character, along with Ken and other toys, live a happy life. However, one day the protagonist finds out that she can't do her daily routine as she used to and that her feet have gone flat. Another Barbie then lets her know that in order to find out what is happening, she needs to go to the real world and see what the kid playing with her toy is doing.

She eventually decides to go to the real world, with Ken tagging along because he wants to be with her. As the two of them arrive, chaos ensues and they need to adapt to the situation, with both characters going through an existential crisis and trying to find their place and meaning in this new world.