Here we are going to cover West Side Story Review, The remake of the 1961 Broadway musical West Side Story is about forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teen street gangs with contrasting ethnic musical origins. This musical Drama movie is available to watch Online on Disney+Hotstar Ott platform.
West Side Story Review, Plot Critc Views, And Star Cast
- OTT Release Date- March 2, 2022 ‘Disney+ Hotstar’
- IMDB- 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes- 59%
- Star Cast- Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zelger, Ariana De Bose
- Director- Steven Spielberg
- OTT Platform- Hotstar
Much of “West Side Story” is about that urge, that sense that something beneath the surface wants to come to the surface—restlessness, passion, fury, displacement—the sense that “something’s coming” that so many young people have. This re-enactment of the legendary Broadway smash immediately demonstrates its skill.
The camera does more than just record what happens on set; it moves with the actors, and we move with them as well. The editing avoids the harsh rhythms found in many contemporary musicals, giving viewers a sense of movement and community. We’re immediately captivated, and we’ll be for the next 2.5 hours.
Disney+HotStar Drama Movie West Side Story Plot
West Side Story is a remake of the 1961 American musical film of the same name, which was based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The film, which included spectacular dance sequences choreographed by Jerome Robbins and iconic songs by Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) including “Tonight,” “Maria,” and “Somewhere,” won 10 in 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including best picture. It was also nominated for three Golden Globes, including one for best musical.
Fans of the original stage performance and the beloved film will dispute the need for a 2021 version of “West Side Story,” despite the fact that restating a great play is an annual event in major theatres throughout the world.
In the film, remakes are generally seen as attempts to replace the original, whereas theatergoers are used to hearing new voices interpret great works. Among the new voices present are Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner (Angels in America), Janusz Kaminski, Justin Peck, and a wonderful assemblage of young perspectives and outstanding veterans.
The film does not attempt to duplicate the choreography of Jerome Robbins, which was employed in most theatrical productions and in the 1961 film. Peck and the creative team, on the other hand, were conscious of Robbins’ crucial role in the show’s movement language and occasionally reproduced Robbin’s routines for nostalgia.
While staying true to the play and the original film, Kushner and Spielberg have made substantial changes that make it feel fresh and vibrant. They’ve also staged their performance in a mesmerizing manner.
One blunder in casting keeps it from being ideal, but there are so many magnificent, perfect scenes in this “West Side Story” that I believe it will do for many people what the original did for many people, including this critic. grew up watching movie musicals, and turn them into fans of the entire genre.
1961 Remake Film West Side Story Review
The ragged street urchins from Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, another stage musical triumph that became a 1960s cinema mainstay, come to mind in the early shots of the Jets staking out their own.
While Jon M Chu’s previous film adaptation of “In the Heights” featured wall-walking moments that daringly flipped the world on its side, Spielberg and Kaminski opt for the more straightforward, low-angle, 45-degree tilts that have become commonplace in New York gang films.
Of course, anyone who knows the Shakespeare-inspired original knows that this New York Romeo is head over heels in love with his Puerto Rican Juliet. Despite this, Spielberg and Kushner find fresh notes to play in a musical that many people are familiar with.
Tony is played by Ansel Elgort, a former troublemaker who is now seeking to put his past behind him. Tony earns the wrath of both friends and opponents when he falls for Maria at a dance intended to establish peace between warring clans (a “social experiment”).
The stage is set for a cross-cultural tragedy of love and death, with a once-and-for-all rumble on the cards, into which gang leader Riff (the sinewy Mike Faist) appears determined to pull his old pal.
Spielberg’s West Side Story begins with a strangely somber palette that bursts into vivid color during skirt-swirling dancehall showdowns, shot in stunning widescreen vistas by Janusz Kaminski.
This “West Side Story” is filled with so much beauty. It brings together elements that have truly shaped pop culture, from Spielberg’s graceful precision—he has always choreographed his scenes with a musical director’s eye—to Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein’s masterful songwriting, Tony Kushner’s brilliant writing, and the immigrant experience in this country. It grips you from the start and leads you to your destination.
Critic Views On West Side Story Musical Film
Is it really essential to redo West Side Story? Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ 1961 film adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical hit remains a well-loved and well-watched “classic”; a self-aware streetwise affair with weapons-grade ear-worm tunes and choreography that kids would strive to imitate in school playgrounds for decades.
Even the most ardent fan of the original would have to acknowledge that Natalie Wood’s transformation into a Latina has not aged well. So, thanks to Rachel Zegler, who was cast in the lead part of Maria after an open casting call and whose vibrant, natural performance almost single-handedly validates director Steven Spielberg’s “reimagining.”
