Steven Spielberg, beloved director of Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park, among many, many others, released his remake of the Hollywood classic West Side Story in December of last year.

The original West Side Story was adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, and the musical, in turn, is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. West Side Story is a spin on Shakespeare’s tale set in the eponymous West Side of Manhattan, in which Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) fall in love despite being on opposite sides of a gang war.

The original, released in 1961, won the Academy’s Best Picture Award and is credited with being one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. Spielberg’s new West Side Story is, for the most part, faithful to the original, and is vying for the Best Picture Award itself.

Both of the films have much to offer but differ in a few key aspects. The original is a classic for a reason; colorful, bold, and most of all bombastic, its songs and dances are supremely entertaining, even after 60 years.

In contrast, the new film tends more toward movie than musical, opting to focus on characters and themes over spectacle (to those worried, there is still plenty of spectacle). They are both well-made but shine in different ways.

Some things never change. The Shark ensemble’s ‘America,’ led by Anita (Ariana DeBose) and Bernardo (David Alvarez), is handled spectacularly by Spielberg, who supplants the rooftop from the original with an entire neighborhood to great effect.

The dancers have plenty of space to operate, and they use it admirably, particularly DeBose. Without question, the best number in both versions, ‘America’ here is energetic, the highlight of the film. Other peaks include the iconic opening and the dance sequence in the gym. 

Spielberg’s new version is not a strict upgrade of the original, though. Riff (Mike Faist) and the Jet ensemble are criminally underused. ‘Cool’ loses much of its appeal when removed from the dark garage and given to Tony, and in the new film, it feels almost aimless.

Riff, who in the original leads ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’, finds himself without any spotlight, reduced to dialogue. This truly is a shame; Faist swims in the swagger essential to the Riff character, and the new dialogue he is given adds a dimension to his character unexplored in the original.

Unfortunately, Riff falls by the wayside under Spielberg’s direction. The film also lacks the distinct visual flair the original is known for. These are some of the few changes for the worse that the new film can be accused of, though.

For the most part, the new version matches or improves upon the strengths of the original. Tony and Maria’s songs, certainly, are bolstered by Elgort and Zegler, who lend more to their mostly uninteresting characters than was given in the original.

The new West Side Story is entertaining and well made. The cast is excellent, with each performer demonstrating tremendous ability. Fans of Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original, will be excited to hear that she returns as the de facto Doc character. Spielberg’s West Side Story has plenty to offer and is sure to delight fans of the original and newcomers alike.