West Side Story: the first opinions on Spielberg’s musical have fallen

Across the Atlantic as in France, the first opinions on the revival of the legendary musical West Side Story by Spielberg have arrived.

Let’s confess it now, it’s hard not to be enthusiastic about a realization of Steven spielberg, all the more so when it is a musical (a genre from which it has remained distant despite the wide diversity of its filmography) and a rereading of the legendary musical drama West Side Story released in 1957 on Broadway and already adapted for cinema in 1961.

Inspired by Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, lhe musical depicts the rivalry on the American Upper West Side of two rival bands. On the one hand, the Jets led by Riff are white Americans from the working class. On the other hand, the Sharks led by Bernardo belong to the second generation of immigrants and come mostly from Puerto Rico. When Tony, Riff’s boyfriend becomes infatuated with Maria, Bernardo’s sister, leader of the Sharks, a great impossible love story is born.

Whether it is therefore lovers of Broadway boards or even the many kids marked during the 80s by the plaster cast of monsters that Steven Spielberg has fathered among whom AND the alien, The Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist or Jurassic Park (joker, this one revolutionized the 90s), it is impossible not to rejoice in this meeting at the top. And some have already had the chance to discover it, all over the world. Small anthology of the first opinions.

The two gang leaders seem to have conquered their audience

English-speaking OPINIONS

WEST SIDE STORY is * phenomenal. * Steven Spielberg has been talking about making a musical for almost his entire career, and this was worth the wait. This is top-tier Spielberg.

– Chris Evangelista (@ cevangelista413) November 30, 2021

“WEST SIDE STORY is phenomenal. Steven Spielberg has been talking about making a musical pretty much his entire career, and I don’t regret waiting. He’s one of the best Spielbergs.” Chris Evangelista – Slash

WEST SIDE STORY: If it’s not quite essential, it’s still tremendously entertaining. Vivid, beautiful work from our greatest living American moviemaker. Invigorating choice to have subtitle-less Spanish included ~ 40% of dialogue. David Alvarez is the breakout, but everyone’s aces.

– Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) November 30, 2021

“WEST SIDE STORY: If it’s not essential, it’s really entertaining. It’s lively and elegant work by America’s greatest director. The choice to put Spanish without a subtitle in 40 % of the lines are invigorating. David Alvarez is the man in the movie, although everyone is excellent. “ Barry Hertz – The Globe and Mail

Hot damn. So, yes, as it turns out, Steven Spielberg knows how to make a WEST SIDE STORY movie

– Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) November 30, 2021

“My God. It looks like, yeah, Steven Spielberg knows how to make a WEST SIDE STORY movie.” Mike Ryan – Uproxx

Thief, thief, Ariana DeBose stole the movie!

Steven Spielberg’s #westsidestory is bold and stirring. The best parts are Tony Kushner’s book and the dramatic reimagining of classic numbers such as “America” and “Somewhere.” Ansel was a bit flat, but the rest of the cast is great and it feels like an #Oscars contender. pic.twitter.com/PAYJcoVAfZ

– Brent Lang (@BrentALang) November 30, 2021

“Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is brave and stirring. The best parts are Tony Kushner’s book and the dramatic reimagining of numbers as classic as“ America ”and“ Somewhere. ”Ansel was a bit flat, but the rest of the cast is good, the film has all the makings of a serious Oscar contender. “ Brent Lang – Variety

A shocker: I didn’t dislike Spielberg’s #WestSideStory. It’s not a patch on the original (what is?). People’s skin are rendered way too pale. And the VFX is jarring. But Ariana DeBose and her evocative eyes were incredible. So were Rita Moreno and David Alvarez. Ansel? Hey. pic.twitter.com/OwEPlVuv4L

– Robert Daniels (@ 812filmreviews) November 30, 2021

“Shock: I didn’t hate Spielberg’s West Side Story. It’s not an improvement on the original (what can be?). The skin of the characters is made too pale . The visuals are jarring. But Ariana DeBose and her evocative eyes are amazing. So are Rita Moreno and David Alvarez. Ansel? Bof. “ Robert Daniels – The Playlist

I was hoping that WEST SIDE STORY (2021) would sate my decades-long desire for Spielberg to do a musical. Alas, it is so beautifully shot and staged, such an absolute schooling of the usual musical directors, that I fear I now want him to make two or three more.

– Jesse Hassenger (@rockmarooned) November 30, 2021

“I was hoping that the 2021 WEST SIDE STORY would quench my thirst for a decades-long Spielberg-directed musical. Alas, it’s so well shot and staged, it’s such an absolute lesson in musical direction, that I’m afraid I want more. “ Jesse Hassenger – The AV Club

With Rita Moreno and Steven Spielberg, we have 50% of the history of American cinema in front of our eyes

THE FRENCH OPINIONS

I was blown away by the #WestSideStory by Spielberg and Kushner. A dark rereading, more literal, more palpable too. The cast is impressive, the story of a crazy scale.

– Anaïs Bordages (@AnaisBordages) November 30, 2021

How wonderful the #WestSideStory by Steven Spielberg. In terms of staging, artistic direction, photography, it is quite simply stupendous in accuracy and emotion. The story you know but which still manages to surprise you. pic.twitter.com/ZeJ13Gtjvs

– Florent Boutet (@ ToughCookie4) November 30, 2021

With #WestSideStory, Steven Spielberg finally realizes his dream of musical comedy. And it’s sublime ???? Stunning at all times in terms of staging, choreography, photography, lighting … But not totally carried away, as by the previous one, because of the same rhythm defects. pic.twitter.com/TJYBY8GPCO

– Maximilien PIERRETTE ⚡️ (@ maxp26) November 30, 2021

Staging gem, 2021, colorized

With his #WestSideStory #StevenSpielberg Brings Broadway Musical to life and reinvents the studio cinema of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Brilliant choreographies, dazzling songs, dazzling photography, you bow to the mastery of a furiously modern film pic.twitter.com/7IRvfEkPQ3

– Fred Teper (@cliffhangertwit) November 30, 2021

Spielberg wins his bet with #WestSideStory, visually larger, more modern.

And at the same time, by being less abstract, his story gains as much in romanticism and density as it loses in subtlety.

There remains Ariana DeBose, the real star who carries everything in her path! pic.twitter.com/OsWwxx0Spu

– Alexandre Janowiak (@A_Janowiak) November 30, 2021

The themes of #WestSideStory give the impression that the film was written yesterday. So, inevitably, directed by a Steven Spielberg in a dazzling form, it gives a very great film. pic.twitter.com/1ZqmK1W4E6

– CloneWeb (@cloneweb) November 30, 2021

A fierce duality

Carried by a cast full of new faces, among which Rachel Zegler or David Alvarez and Mike Faist (we almost want to quote Rita Moreno just because she is brilliant or Ariana DeBose, already present in Hamilton), it seems that the chemistry has been total if the ‘we believe the opinions (almost all rave) of the press, whether from France or elsewhere.

It remains therefore to hope that West Side Story survive a cannibalistic December in its outings. Her postponements due to the pandemic now force her to compete against the conclusion of the Spider-Man trilogy with Tom Holland or the fourth installment and return of Neo in Matrix 4: Resurrections. West Side Story will make you dance in theaters from December 8, 2021.