Werner Herzog’s Take on Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’: Greta Gerwig’s film “Barbie” created much hype last year. The film went on to break the box records and even garnered eight Academy Awards nominations. While the film was both a critical and commercial success, it did receive some criticism as well. Well, if something looks good to you, that doesn’t mean it should be liked by all, that’s life. But the criticism hits differently when it comes from a master of the field. Recently, legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog shared his opinion on Margot Robbie’s starring film, which didn’t seem to be very welcoming.
Werner Herzog didn’t find Greta Gerwig’s film appealing enough to watch
Recently, filmmaker Werner Herzog made an appearance on the show Piers Morgan: Uncensored. The host of the show, Piers Morgan, asked him the trendiest question of last year. He asked Herzog if he was Team “Barbie” or Team “Oppenheimer.” Both films were released somewhere around the same time and were among the highly anticipated films of last year. The hype for both films was so high among the audience that it led to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon last summer.
Morgan took the opportunity to learn Herzog’s opinions on the film and posed a question to him. However, the response to it wasn’t particularly thrilling as Herzog said, “I have not seen Oppenheimer yet, but I will do it. “Barbie,” I managed to see the first half hour, and I was curious. I wanted to watch it because I was curious. And I still don’t have an answer, but I have a suspicion. Could it be that the world of Barbie is sheer hell? For a movie ticket, as an audience, you can witness sheer hell, as close as it gets.”
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Herzog didn’t elaborate on what exactly he didn’t like about the film. However, the host, Morgan, who has previously blatantly criticized Gerwig’s film, found resonance in Herzog’s statement and continued by sharing his opinion, saying, “Yes! Let me spare you the horror. I watched the whole thing, and it is hell. I completely concur with your initial assessment after half an hour.”
Herzog’s opinion weighs a lot because he is a renowned filmmaker and is hailed as one of the most innovative contemporary directors. Belonging to the field of cinema and having a resume filled with incredible directorial works, Herzog’s criticism and appreciation both matter. However, as an established filmmaker and an inspiration to many, Herzog is also very wise with words and doesn’t simply echo others’ opinions. When Morgan made his remark, Herzog clarified, “I don’t know yet. Give me a moment to watch the whole thing. I have to watch the whole thing first.”
This isn’t the first time a filmmaker has criticized “Barbie.” Previously, prominent director Oliver Stone, known for directing films like “JFK” and “Wall Street,” called the film an “infantilization” of filmmaking. However, after watching the film, he changed his mind and even apologized for his remark. In fact, he appreciated the film for its originality and themes. He said he “found the filmmakers’ approach certainly different than what I expected.”
Perhaps Herzog may also change his opinion after completely watching Gerwig’s film.
