Spielberg's film version of West Side Story was too bombastic, way overdone, too heavy, totally forced and unnatural, plus it felt all wrong. I've seen enough of it, and listened to the soundtrack to form the opinion that it doesn't even feel like West Side Story, at all.
It's also possible that maybe this is the film that Spielberg really wanted to do before retiring.
He is 75 so that cannot be denied.
The last film of his that I really thought was great was Munich from 2005 and that is 17 years ago. What he made after that was mostly positively reviewed and mostly commercial successful but came nowhere near his really classic work. I am a fan but he may want to think about retiring.
I hear you, mmboon. With relatively few exceptions, Spielberg's best films, including Munich, have been films that are based on historical events.
Often enough, these big-time film moguls keep going until their work starts to go on a decline, and I think that Steve Spielberg is no exception.
I disagree, I think it's a damn good movie, and better than the 1961 version. Definitely worth watching.
shareOk. Will do. But it still failed at the box office.
shareI'm not sure why. I didn't see it in a theater because of the fucking pandemic, and I suspect that very few people under 40 have ever heard of "West Side Story" or want to see a new version.
And it was released when a lot of people over forty were avoiding crowded places like movie theaters.