Barbie: Spy Squad – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Barbie: Spy Squad

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2016

42%

WISE Score

Barbie goes full James Bond lite in this aggressively mediocre 2016 direct-to-video snooze-fest that even five-year-olds found meh.

Barbie: Spy Squad

movie

G, 2016

42%

WISE Score

Barbie goes full James Bond lite in this aggressively mediocre 2016 direct-to-video snooze-fest that even five-year-olds found meh.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is technically fine. It won't harm your kid. It's safe, it's got girl power messaging, and it'll keep a preschooler occupied.

But let's be real: this is forgettable direct-to-video content from the era when Barbie movies were churned out purely to sell dolls. The 48% audience score and 5.6 IMDb rating aren't flukes—even little kids found this boring. It's the cinematic equivalent of empty calories: won't poison them, but offers zero nutrition.

If your 5-year-old is in a Barbie phase, sure, throw it on. But don't expect them to care about it afterward, and definitely don't expect to enjoy sitting through it yourself. There are so many better options in the animated kids' movie space that are actually, you know, good.

Age Fit

Best for ages 4-7 who are just discovering Barbie and haven't developed taste yet. Older kids will see right through the thin plot, and even within the target range, don't expect requests for repeat viewings.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Features friendship, teamwork, and positive female role models working together. The gymnast-to-spy premise emphasizes hard work paying off. However, the execution is formulaic and lacks emotional depth—it's wholesome in the technical sense but feels manufactured rather than genuinely heartwarming.

Imaginative

The spy-meets-gymnastics concept has potential, but this is paint-by-numbers Barbie franchise content. High-tech gadgets and 'cute robo-pets' are generic tropes. Nothing here invites creative thinking or exploration—it's all surface-level glitter without substance. Kids won't be inspired to imagine or create beyond what's spoon-fed.

Safe

Extremely safe content appropriate for young viewers. Common Sense Media rates it for age 5+. The 'cat burglar' villain and spy action are cartoonish and non-threatening. No violence, scary content, or inappropriate material. Loses a few points only because it's so sanitized it borders on mind-numbing.

Enriching

Minimal enrichment value. While it nominally shows girls in active, problem-solving roles, the execution is so shallow that any positive messaging gets lost in the generic plot. The 48% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and 5.6 IMDb rating reflect that even the target demographic found this forgettable. No meaningful takeaways, no skill-building, just empty calories.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Completely safe viewing for young kids—no scares, no inappropriate content, just bland inoffensiveness
Shows girls as active agents (literally) who use their athletic skills and smarts
Short enough that your sanity won't be completely destroyed if you have to sit through it
The robo-pets might entertain very young viewers for approximately 4.5 minutes

⚠

What to Watch For

The 48% audience score tells you everything—this is boring even by direct-to-video Barbie standards
Zero rewatchability factor; your kid might ask for it once and never again
It's from the old Barbie movie era (pre-2023 theatrical film) when these were just toy commercials with plots
Prepare for aggressive product placement vibes throughout

Conversation Starters

"What would your spy gadgets do if you were a secret agent?"
"Do you think gymnastics skills would actually help you be a spy?"
"Which friend would you want on your spy team and why?"

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