A biased review of every Barbie movie, in no particular order
Starting with 2001's Barbie and the Nutcracker
The animation itself is a tad bit stiff and odd, but not necessarily bad in anyway, it is the first 3D Barbie movie. The characters move like dolls, which actually really fits with the movie. They also look like the dolls you'd have been able to find in stores. Some of the movement animations are a bit weird, like running animations and jumping.
The voicing is actually pretty good. Kelly Sheridan as Barbie/Clara, Tim Curry as the Mouse King, Kirby Morrow as the Nutcracker/Prince Eric. The voices all fit their respective characters quite well. Not very much to say about it.
The are a couple holes in the story of the movie. Clara and the Nutcracker find these 2 little kids, they take them in so they can find a safe place for them. While being chased by a fully armed troop of mice, the group is rescued by a camp of tree dwelling fugitives, chased out of their homes by the Mouse King's army. Given that the village the children were found it is the only village in that area we (the watchers) are aware of, it wouldn't be unjustified to assume that the kids should at least recognize the people that had fled. But apparently not.
Clara realized that the Nutcracker is, in fact, the prince, who is hiding his identity from everyone because he wasn't really a good prince in the peoples' eyes. Though, it wasn't really hard for her to figure it out.
Eric and Clara get a cute bonding scene together after setting free a swarm (idk what to call it) of fairies. The scene was cut short by a "rock giant" interrupting. The group, our main 2 accompanied by 2 from the camp, Major Mint and Captain Candy sled across a frozen ocean.. sea..? Lets go with large body of water, on a horse drawn sleigh. Eric stabs the ice with his sword and the Rock Giant falls right through.
Just as the group is about the give up and turn back, in fear of the ice melting before they make it to land, the horse sees something, inciting Clara to walk in that direction. Finding the island that they believe to be home to the Sugar Plum Princess.
Turns out it wasn't, Eric, Mint, and Candy got captured and brought back the the Mouse King's castle, leaving Clara stuck on the island. The fairies she helped free helped her back to the main land by carrying her on a swing made of, like, a single vine.
She find her 3 friends, frees them. They all go fight the Mouse King, Eric hits his wooden head while protecting Clara, she freaks out, thinking he's, like, actually hurt, giving him a kiss, he catches a case of the blue glowies, and turns back to the prince.
Major Mint, who genuinely didn't realize he was shit talking the prince TO HIS FACE is like
"The prince! e- ooo- the prince" Pulling his hat down to cover his face, realizing he was shit talking the prince TO HIS FACE. And I'm kind of living for it.
Clara takes human Eric's hand and SHE catches a case of the PINK glowies and BOOM! Fancy hair and dress.
Turns out she was the Sugar Plum Princess!
All the people the Mouse King (who had jumped into a sewer drain by this point) had turned to stone turned back from stone. Cheered for the prince, they all danced. Major Mint and Captain Candy danced together, I think there was some break dancing? Clara and Eric danced together. Everyone was happy.
Me during their dance, "Is... is his leg ok? I'm not sure legs are supposed to bend like that?"
The world is healed, everything returns to how it was before the Mouse King. They 2 finish their dance, everyone cheers for them. Eric asks Clara to stay with him, and be queen. She agrees, but the Mouse King steals her magic necklace, forcefully sending her home. Eric proclaims his love for her and she disappears. Probably traumatizing all the kids that were watching at the time.
But, worry not, the power of LOVE conquers all and Clara meets a King that was a friend of her Aunt. And everyone lived happily ever after.
Ok, but in all seriousness, it was a cute movie. I don't have the nostalgia many others do, and I was never a fan of Christmas movies when I was little. And It came out before I was born, so that may have also been a factor.
If you like Barbie and haven't seen this one, I recommend watching it.