2021's remake of West Side Story has received glowing reviews, showing once again that no matter the material or genre, Steven Spielberg should never be underestimated. Critics are calling his version of West Side Story one of the best movies of the year, and a front runner for Best Picture at the Oscars. Prior to its release though it had almost been written off as a pointless remake, with the expectation that it wouldn't be able to match the original 1961 version. Yet, it appears that Steven Spielberg has come through once again.
Based on William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set in 1950s New York City and centers on the love story between teenagers Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), who each has an affiliation with one of two rival gangs, the Jets and Sharks. Starting life as a Broadway musical in 1957, it was adapted to film four years later. 1961's original West Side Story movie was the highest-earning movie that year, and swept the Oscars with 10 wins, including Best Picture and Best Director(s) for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The movie is rightly considered one of the greatest musicals of all time and has been loved by audiences for generations. Therefore when it was announced that Steven Spielberg planned to remake the film, many thought that there was little point in revisiting the material.
2021's West Side Story was filmed in the summer of 2019 and its release was delayed a whole year due to COVID-19. The extended delay didn't result in any significant build-up in hype or anticipation for Steven Spielberg’s latest movie, however. There was a feeling that the film was more of a personal passion project for Spielberg to scratch his musical itch, and that it would join the long list of ill-advised remakes of classic films that aren't as good as the original. However, the reviews for 2021's West Side Story are extremely good. Spielberg's direction, along with the script, performances, musical number, and cinematography have all been singled out for acclaim. Furthermore, some critics have gone as far as saying that Spielberg's version of West Side Story is superior to the 1961 film. Any underestimation of Spielberg’s ability to excel in a new genre has been proven unfounded by the response from critics.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that 2021's West Side Story reviews are good. Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest directors of all time. A natural storyteller, he's rarely failed to hit the mark in the 33 films he's directed, with several (Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan) often cited as some of the greatest movies ever made. Underestimating him at this point in his career is folly. He's a seasoned pro with a lifetime of experience, an unquenchable excitement for filmmaking, and an established team of equally talented artists around him. Given the right material, as is the case with West Side Story, he's going to make it good.
Spielberg had wanted to make a musical for decades: look no further than Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's opening number or 1941's dance hall sequence for indications of this. It was one of the last cinematic genres he hadn't tackled, though Spielberg has said a Western is still on his bucket list to direct. Next up, though, is his semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama The Fabelmans. As has been proven with 2021's West Side Story, don't underestimate Spielberg not to once again deliver a good movie.
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