West Side Story Movie Review

Adapted from a screenplay by Tony Kushner Bio coming soon... >> Read More... , West Side Story is a 2021 American drama musical adaptation of the 1957 stage musical, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg is an American producer, director >> Read More... . Leonard Bernstein composed music for the lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim. Justin Peck performed choreography for the film. Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, and Kevin McCollum produced the film, and 20th Century Studios released the movie on December 10th, 2021. Ansel Elgort Ansel Elgort was born to Arthur Elgort and Grethe >> Read More... and Rachel Zegler play the lead role in the movie. David Alvarez, Ariana DeBose, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno Rita Moreno’s original name is Rosa Dolores Alveri >> Read More... comprises the rest of the cast. The film received critical acclaim getting several nominations for academy awards and Golden Globes and winning three awards. As the name suggests, the movie explores the lives and rivalry of the members of Jets and Sharks, two street gangs of different ethnicity.

Plot

The movie portrays the life and rivalry between two gangs, the Jets led by Riff and the Sharks led by Bernardo. Jeff believes that San Juan Hill belongs to them rather than the Sharks. Jeff proposes a rumble, an old-school fight between the two gangs to take control of the area. In this setting, Tony, Riff's friend and an ex-convict, meets Bernardo's sister Maria at a neighborhood dance and falls in love with her. Riff asks for Tony's help, but Tony wants to reform from his old ways and lead a peaceful life away from the conflicts. Knowing about his sister's love for Tony, Bernardo becomes outraged and agrees to the rumble. The two lovers decide to stop the fight at any cost. The rest of the movie shows Tony trying to stop the conflict between the two gangs and struggling to deal with his inner conflicts of choosing between his love and friends.

Star Performance

Rachel Zegler as Maria shines in her debut film, producing the passion and love that her character demands. The audience does not need an introduction to DeBose her past exemplars are reflected on the screen, bringing out yet another stunning performance. She displays every single emotion and feeling that Anita demands. Mike Faist also produces a remarkable performance. Rita Moreno, who was in the original play, makes the audience awestruck with the display of her character once again.

Analysis

Steven Spielberg produces yet another timeless classic, making one better than the original. The cast for the movie is near perfect, with DeBose and Zegler bringing out their best. But Ansel Elgort, as Tony, fails to deliver the performance needed to uphold the character. He lacks the energy and enthusiasm that Tony has. Most of the time, his character is bland and expressionless. The music by  Leonard Bernstein invokes a feeling of rejuvenation and freedom in the audience, with the dance sequences, a way for them to express their emotions and feelings. Steven Spielberg succeeds in producing a successful remake that matches or even surpasses the original. The cinematography and technical side shine with the background showing the exact situation of the city, creating imagery of the people's life at that time. The minor changes brought on by Spielberg do not affect the original plot and do justice to the original in every way.

What’s There?

• Soulful music and dance sequences
• Touching performances and character portrayal
• Brilliant direction and cinematography

What’s Not There?

• Proper use of some characters is not there
• Absence of an apt main lead character

Verdict

The movie surpasses its predecessor in almost all areas, with the cast giving life to the script. Rachel Zegler, with her brilliant performance and the timely background score, added to the cinematography, makes the entire film flow like a smooth river. The film indeed does justice to its original, giving the audience what they deserve.