Mean Girls the movie review

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On January 12, 2024, Paramount Pictures released a new Mean Girls movie. With the classic characters from the original 2004 version, this new version tells the familiar tale in a musical format featuring some familiar and new faces. The question is: Is the new version fetch or not? 

By: Akshara Bachu

As film industries are beginning to feature more progressive themes, there are several notable changes from the old version. Starting from the cast, the new film has more diverse actors. The acting skills from Avantika Vandanapu as Karen, Auliʻi Cravalho as Janice, and Jaquel Spivey

as Damian, were exceptional and added to the classic story’s inclusive transformation. 

The 2004 version covered issues that today’s youth face, such as body image confidence and the pressure to fit in with others throughout the narrative while mixed with sarcastic humor. I found that this format wove a story in which audiences are expected to interpret the deeper themes by themselves, and ultimately leading to a more relatable experience. On the other hand, the new film covers the same issues in a much more confrontational format: musical numbers. The new version features 12 musical numbers that embody the iconic roles of the original characters with new energy and charisma. Personally, I thought that the musicals were well executed and captivating to view in a theater. Unfortunately watching on a computer at home will definitely take away from the experience of the movie since the musical numbers play an integral role in the new version.  

Visually, the film is very vibrant and creative featuring unique costume design and cinematography that offer a modern twist while paying homage to the original. Fans of the original movie will appreciate the familiar themes and characters. Newcomers will view it as a modern take on the highschool comedy genre. Though the sequel probably will never reach the same level of cultural impact as its predecessor, by itself I think it adds a very entertaining addition to the franchise and stays relevant through the commentary on the timeless challenges that adolescents face.