Vietnam has banned the upcoming Barbie film over a scene featuring a map depicting contested Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam is among a number of countries that contest China's claim to almost all of the South China Sea.
The ban stemmed from a drawing of a world map in the film that authorities in Vietnam said depicted the “nine-dash line,” which is a feature on some Chinese maps indicating the disputed territorial claims of China in the South China Sea. Vietnam believes that the nine-dash line violates its sovereignty.
Where Barbie Was Banned. Kuwait and Oman prohibited the film entirely, while Algeria removed it from theaters after it premiered and Lebanon agreed to screen it after an initial ban.
Although “Barbie” received high praise from film critics, who lauded it for its satirical commentary on misogyny and gender roles, the movie struck a nerve with the right-wing community, many of whom claim it promotes misandry — that is, prejudice against men.
Vietnam and the Philippines have previously banned movies for including the nine-dash line, including Sony's 2022 movie Uncharted, DreamWorks' 2019 movie Abominable. Vietnam also banned the 2018 Australian TV series Pine Gap, and the Philippines censored select episodes.
This is open to dispute, but one contender is Umberto Lenzi's Make Them Die Slowly - also known as Canibal Ferox (US 1980), billed as The Most Violent Ever. Publicity for the picture proudly proclaimed that it had been banned in 31 countries.
Subversive content. According to a 2007 research by OpenNet Initiative, blocking is concentrated on websites with contents about overseas political opposition, overseas and independent media, human rights, and religious topics. Proxies and circumvention tools, which are illegal to use, are also frequently blocked.
Notably, when asked why they would not want to play with her, at least 25 percent of the girls said it was because curvy Barbie was fat, chubby, or "big." The tendency to idealize thin bodies and show negative attitudes toward fatter bodies has implications for how children treat each other.
While there's no sex in the movie (the Barbies and Kens are frank about not having genitals), Kens are shown shirtless, Barbies get catcalled, and there are suggestive references to the dolls' bodies -- including Ken's "nude bulge" -- and how a male-dominated society expects women to be ornamental and helpful.
Those who openly hated it mostly did so for reasons having to do with what it “stood for.” They abhorred its (oddly anachronistic) third-wave feminist politics. They despised its commercialism and dreaded the prospect of future films about Mattel properties like Barney and American Girl dolls.
Despite the enthusiasm, a number of Russian officials and lawmakers have slammed the iconic doll, made by US toy manufacturer Mattel, and the movie for promoting what they consider to be morally degraded Western values.
This section discusses the way in which Barbie's hyper-sexualized physique directly defied Indian cultural norms regarding sexuality and gender, ultimately leading to Mattel removing the Barbie doll from the Indian mass market.
Following that, a decision was made not to ban the movie from being shown in Jordan. A comprehensive analysis revealed diverse perspectives from viewers. One individual expressed that the movie "directly critiques the global feminist movement."
Vietnamese cinema authorities unofficially banned John Wick: Chapter 4 upon its release in Vietnamese cinemas due to the appearance of Donnie Yen, a vocal proponent of the Chinese government and supporter of the "nine-dash line" that is used by the Chinese government to lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, ...
Though no reason was given by the censors for their review of Barbie, it has been reported that the main concern was LGBT and feminist-related narratives and dialogue in the movie. It has faced similar delays in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Bahrain.
Regarding the provision of social networking services and child protection, TikTok Singapore has stored illegal information on CDN servers in Vietnam. This includes fake, distorted information that incites violence and social evils and information that is harmful to children.
The movie also features shirtless Kens, a comedic “battle” scene involving toy weapons and a few references to “brewskys” (beer). As for language, parents can expect one bleeped out use of the word “motherf*****,” as well as the use of other mildly bad words like “hell, “shutup,” “crap” and “damn.”
Barbie, formally known as “Barbara Millicent Roberts,” was born in 1959, which would technically make her 65 years old — except for the small fact that she was born as a 19-year-old. Yep, that's right: The first ever Barbie was officially 19 years old, which would make her age closer to 84 years old.
In the final shot of the film, Margot Robbie's Barbie declares, "I'm here to see my gynecologist." The silly line manages to poke fun at the reality of womanhood, without dismissing or minimizing it.
By the late 1980s, Midge was back on shelves as part of the California Dream Barbie set. Then, she was re-released in the 1990s wearing a wedding dress, and again in 2002 with a detachable magnetic pregnant stomach, which allowed her to “deliver” a small plastic baby curled up inside, per CBS News.
Midge's run as the youthful, freckled sidekick has been sporadic and at times turbulent, with only a handful of releases in the '60s, before she resurfaced in the '80s and '90s. Then, a pregnant version of the doll was unceremoniously pulled from store shelves in 2002 amid fears she was promoting teen motherhood.
Mattel responded to some consumer criticism and remodelled her body as early as 1997 when Barbie's breasts were reduced in size and her waist thickened.
Vietnam is generally considered a safe country for travelers, but like any tourist destination, there are risks associated with theft and crime. Popular tourist areas, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and coastal cities, may experience issues with petty theft and pickpocketing.
While many countries in the region have expressed concerns about cultural products promoting China's unfounded territorial claims, Vietnam stands out as the most vocal and proactive in censoring foreign movies perceived to have capitulated to Chinese demands.
After experiencing a slowdown in 2023, the economy is showing mixed signs of recovery in early 2024. While exports are recovering, consumption and private domestic investment are growing more gradually. Real exports are expected to grow by 3.5% in 2024, reflecting gradual improvement in global demand.
