WEST SIDE STORY (2021) REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Released in 1961, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical, West Side Story, was a success, both with audiences (making over $44.1 million) and at the 34th Academy Awards, winning ten Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Original Score and Best Art Direction. Because of this, many were sceptical of a remake directed by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg as, although he’s made a wide range of films from heartbreaking dramas, including Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, to action packed blockbusters including Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Arc, he hasn’t had any experience with musicals. However, is Spielberg’s version of West Side Story an improvement over the original?

Love at first sight strikes when young Tony (Ansel Elgort) spots Maria (Rachel Zegler) at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks, two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

Prior to watching Spielberg’s version, I decided to watch the original West Side Story and I found it to be a mostly enjoyable musical. Because of this, I wasn’t sure how Spielberg could improve, however, I was pleasantly surprised. For almost twenty years, Spielberg has been interested in making a musical and with his remake of West Side Story, he has succeeded in creating a film that is faithful to the original and features powerful and passionate performances by its cast. Instead of copying the original directors, Wise and Robbins, Spielberg makes West Side Story in his own unique vision. While it’s far from one of his best films, West Side Story further proves why Spielberg is one of the greatest filmmakers. 

Unlike most of Spielberg’s films, West Side Story features a cast of mostly unknowns who all impress with their performances, including Zegler who shines as Maria and portrays her as an innocent young woman who falls in love with the wrong man. Because she has a powerful singing voice, Zegler is at her best when she’s singing. It’s a star making performance and I doubt this will be the last we see of her. Another memorable performance was delivered by Ariana DeBose as Maria’s feisty friend, Anita. At the time of writing this review, both Zegler and DeBose have been nominated at the 79th Golden Globes for their impressive performances. A memorable supporting performance is delivered by Moreno as a new character, Valentina, who owns the pharmaceutical drug store. What I liked most about Moreno’s appearance was that it wasn’t just a cameo from a familiar face, it was actually a heartfelt performance. A later scene sees Valentina rescuing Anita from the Jets as they assault her. This scene is meaningful as Moreno played Anita in the original film, however, she found filming the scene difficult due to her own well-documented experiences with sexual assault in Hollywood as well as the surreal challenge of saving a character she first portrayed sixty years ago. 

Like the original, West Side Story is at its most entertaining during the musical numbers. The opening dance sequence succeeds in capturing the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks as they perform a choreographed fight for control of San Juan Hill on Manhattan’s West Side. After meeting and falling in love at a dance, Tony and Maria sing one of the most romantic and standout songs, Tonight. Both Zegler and Elgort share chemistry, with West Side Story at its most heartfelt when it’s focusing on their romance. One of the most energetic and standout musical numbers is America, which is sung by Anita as she praises  living in the United States whilst her boyfriend and Maria’s brother, Bernardo (George Chakiris), replies with corresponding criticisms of living in America. One of the lyrics, “Life’s all right in America / If you’re all white in America”, sadly couldn’t be more relevant to modern society and the experiences of being a person of colour living in the United States. This is why Spielberg wanted to remake West Side Story as he felt that the story was more relevant to a modern audience. 

Whilst the performances by its talented cast and the work by Spielberg are both equally as impressive, the work from behind the scenes is worth mentioning, especially Janusz Kaminski’s visually stunning cinematography, which gives West Side Story a fresh and modern look whilst paying homage to the original. Leonard Bernstein’s powerful score emphasises the most dramatic and romantic scene. When the film is focusing on Tony and Maria, the music is quieter as it allows both of the actors’ (especially Zegler’s) voices to be heard. While West Side Story has been nominated at the Golden Globes (as well as the performances by Zegler and DeBose, it’s also nominated for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy), I can’t imagine it being completely overlooked by the Academy when they announce their nominations next year as it’s the type of film that gets recognised.

While West Side Story is a highly entertaining musical filled with strong performances by its cast, the main story is the weakest aspect. Even those who haven’t seen the original 1961 film will be able to predict how it ends as it’s similar to William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, as both tell tragic love stories. 

Although I thoroughly enjoyed watching West Side Story, it is disappointing that, since its release earlier this month and despite being lauded by critics, the audience response isn’t as successful and has only made $27.1 million at the box office. I think that the most obvious reason for this is because of the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. I do think that West Side Story is worth watching even if you’re unfamiliar with the original 1961 film as it benefits from the lively performances by its cast and the entertaining musical numbers.

8/10