: Available on ResearchGate , this paper challenges the creators' claims that the remake provides a more "ethnically sensitive" and "progressive" reimagining. It analyzes the film through the lens of modern Hollywood's attempts to add deeper historical significance to legacy projects.
: Writing for Domus , critics analyze how the 2021 film introduces a political backstory centered on the literal demolition of New York neighborhoods, framing the Jets vs. Sharks conflict as a "war between the poor" in the shadow of rising gentrification. West Side Story(2021)
: A study hosted by James Madison University focuses specifically on how the 2021 version updates the portrayal of Puerto Rican characters and women compared to the 1961 original. : Available on ResearchGate , this paper challenges
: This extensive essay from the Boston Review debates whether the film should have been more radically reimagined and what its existence says about modern cultural controversies. Sharks conflict as a "war between the poor"