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Sometimes remakes can either excel or flop. This time we have a remake of West Side Story. I wrote about the original a while back, and this time we have a remake of that film. The first one was iconic with the opening scene and what I like to call the Michael Jackson Beat It inspiration. I don’t care what anyone says. Michael Jackson got his inspiration from the original film. Book it!! Here we are again.
When I first of that a remake was going to be made, I asked myself why? Has Hollywood run out of original ideas? The answer is a resounding yes because Hollywood couldn’t develop an original idea if it fell right in front of them. They are terrible, but what can you do. I initially thought that this would be a waste of time until I heard who was directing it. I was all in when the man, myth, legend, and icon Steven Spielberg said he would direct the film. I don’t even like musicals that much.
I debated if I was going to write a synopsis of this film. It is practically the same story, but since Double S directed it, might as well give you the run down if you’ve never seen the first one. In the mean streets of Upper West Side in 1957, the Jets, led by the tough-ass Riff, are an all-white gang of youths fighting for supremacy against the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by the smooth Bernardo. Both groups want control of San Juan Hill on Manhattan’s Upper West Side even though it is decaying and looks like a war zone. Let me tell you that racial tension is HIGH! During a school dance, both groups meet and decide that the time has come for a once-and-for-all, winner-takes-all rumble on the cards. Little do the groups know that romance is blooming during the high school dance. Former Jet brawler Tony and Bernardo’s delicate little sister María spot each other and fall in love. With the gangs wanting the territory, will all fall, or will love overcome?
If you want to get what West Side Story is about, think of Romeo and Juliet. It is the same story but with different characters and is more modern. With that said, this was an excellent movie all over again, and I enjoyed every minute. Do I think it’s better than the original? Maybe but it was great to watch all over again.
First, the cinematography was excellent. The imagery, colors, and style were fantastic, bringing this film to a bigger scale. When the two gangs first fought, it was a sight to see. Love how the camera showed Maria in the whole starry-eyed scene at the dance. You saw from Tony’s POV that dude fell in love with her. The scene in the cop station was a thing of beauty, and the overall feel of the film just felt right for a Spielberg film. What I loved about the cinematography in this film is that when it came to the Puerto Ricans, Spielberg was bright and vibrant colors with their dress. I felt like he respected that group and tried to show they were fun, wild, and free. Loved it.
With West Side Story, you have to talk about the dance scenes. I can say that some of the dance scenes are phenomenal, and some were a tad bit off. The beginning was outstanding, and watching the two groups go at it was entertaining. When Anita did the whole America song, it was so well done that it made me want to get up and dance. The “Cool” dance-off was quite intense. Way more intense than the original version. The fight scene between Roberto and Riff was short and didn’t give that Beat It feel. It was a disappointment.
With musicals, you have to talk about the songs. That is what musicals are all about: the freakin music. “America” became once again my favorite. It is a banger of a hit and enjoyable because it somewhat speaks of today. “Gee, Officer Krupke” is another song that I love. I think it is my favorite song because it is funny and entertaining. In this version, they straight up DESTROY the police station. I have to admit, I didn’t like Cool in the first movie, but this version was way better. Maybe because it was done at a different part and had a meaningful tone.
As far as the cast goes, they did a fantastic job. The leads did their part in making their characters come to life. Ansel Elgort as Tony was okay. I have seen him in other stuff; he was cool in this film. Even though he was the lead, he didn’t wow me with his performance. Rachel Zegler as Maria was excellent and a fresh face. As the lead, she was fun to watch as the innocent girl who had fallen in love.
I want to give special consideration to Ariana DeBose as Anita. For her performance, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first queer woman of color to receive an Oscar in an acting category. I want to say that she was the highlight of this film. She was sassy, strong, spoke her mind, and was a joy to watch. With that said, I want to add Rita Moreno as Valentina with Ariana. In a role that she won the Academy Award in the original, she was a nice and special touch connecting the past and present.
Let’s give Mike Faist as Riff a MAJOR shout-out. There are times when the supporting actor just overshadows the lead, and this is a prime example of this. Faist was excellent in this role. He was intense when he needed to be and a straight-up boss. I highly enjoyed his performance, and it was a tragedy that he didn’t get nominated.
It is hard to say if this film surpasses the original, but it is incredible to watch. The costumes, music, dancing, acting, and direction were top-notch. Steven Spielberg is the man who can make anything happen and come to life. Another movie to watch during musical week.
