Elon Musk has joined the backlash against Barbie, attacking the blockbuster’s depiction of ‘patriarchy’.
It’s the biggest film of the year and has stormed the box office with a record $155 million debut, but while fans love it, critics have been divided.
There has been a wave of criticism – particularly from conservative figures – over what some describe as the film’s ‘anti-man’ agenda.
Billionaire Tesla owner Musk, who is known for being outspoken and often aligns himself with conservative viewpoints, has hinted he wasn’t a fan of the message of the film, which was created by director Greta Gerwig.
‘It [sic] you take a shot every time Barbie says the word “patriarchy”, you will pass out before the movie ends,’ Musk said on Twitter in response to a meme.
Musk has declared himself a ‘free speech absolutist’ allowing figures such as self-professed misogynist Andrew Tate back on Twitter and sharing anti-trans content.
He is not alone in taking issue with the girl power message and how the film portrays male and female relationships.
Conservative commentator Lauren Chen has shared a barrage of content, slamming what she called the film’s ‘insidious man-hating message’.
The BlazeTV host also accused studios of hiding how ‘INSUFFERABLY WOKE’ the film would be in its promotional material.
The wife of Florida Representative Matt Gaetz also called for a boycott of the movie over its disappointing ‘feminine empowerment’ and a ‘lack of faith and family’.
Ginger Gaetz participated in a launch party at the British embassy in Washington DC on Monday, walking the pink carpet and sipping on pink cocktails.
Her husband Mr Gaetz, 41, even got into the spirit of Barbie, chose to wear a pink sport coat.
But, despite being a self-professed Barbie fan, after watching the movie she said she was disappointed by the values it promoted.
She also slammed actor Ryan Gosling’s ‘beta energy’, despite the actor being widely-lauded for his performance.
She tweeted: ‘Thinking about watching the Barbie movie? I’d recommend sticking to getting outfit inspiration and skipping the theater.
‘Here’s why: The Barbie I grew up with was a representation of limitless possibilities, embracing diverse careers and feminine empowerment.
‘The 2023 Barbie movie, unfortunately, neglects to address any notion of faith or family, and tries to normalize the idea that men and women can’t cooperate positively (yuck).’
Mrs Gaetz did however praise Margot Robbie’s performance as Barbie and the film’s ‘stunning costume design’ and ‘amazing soundtrack’.
While most merely criticized the film’s themes, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro made his hatred of it particularly clear.
He shared a viral YouTube video ‘Ben Shapiro DESTROYS The Barbie Movie For 43 Minutes,’ which has garnered over 1 million views.
