Well my kids enjoyed this one. The last few barbie movies they got bored and walked away, ever since she changed to a modernised barbie. The old stuff (which sold the best and is brilliant)they still love and watch.
In this one they dumped the writer and got someone new in, still felt like the same writer but it worked better.
I don't think barbie is outdated, and getting away from all that laptops, web blogs crap immensely improved the story.
Listen Mattel: if at the beginning of a story you deliberately mention a pearl handled pistol from 1908, all the way through the audience is going to be thinking, why did they show that pistol and when are they going to use it? If at the end of the story the pistol is never used at all, this leaves a sense of frustration, why bother showing it?
The same, if you fill your movies with computers, the internet, mobile phones and these are never used or play a part in the actual story, this leaves a sense of frustration in that you are trying to manipulate the situation as it has no relevance to the story. It doesn't make sense. And drives the viewers away.
That said, this movie is an improvement over recent barbie offerings, doesn't flow very well in places.
Recommended.