there's a substrata of genius-level artists at work here: from Spielberg himself, who delivers his best film in nearly 20 years, to the late, great Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein and William Shakespeare – and you can really feel it
Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" has a brash effervescence. You can feel the joy he got out of making it, and the kick is infectious; it's a parade of delights
Spielberg's first musical is a revelatory riff on a beloved classic; The filmmaker honors a sacred piece of musical theater by flexing all over it with some of the most exhilarating setpieces he's ever shot, but there are a handful of puzzling missteps
if you know the original "West Side Story" pretty well, watching this one is fascinating, like getting reacquainted with an old friend who now looks quite different
heartfelt and heart-breaking, this feels like Steven Spielberg has made an adaptation faithful to its roots but also, always, alive to the modern world
"West Side Story" is visually entrancing, emotional, and the choreography and staging magnetic even when certain aspects of the story don't always work
by Dan Rubins [Slant Magazine ]
by Phil de Semlyen [Time Out New York ]
by Moira McDonald [Seattle Times ]
by Mae Abdulbaki [ScreenRant ]
