The Film Industries Obsession with Remakes: Mean Girls 2024
In the last 10 years, it’s safe to say the increase of remake films has been hard to miss. Beloved films like "Alice In Wonderland," "Nightmare on Elm Street," "The Karate kid," and the list goes on. The popularity of sequel films in an attempt to redeem a franchise has increased tremendously as well.
Perhaps it is to profit off of the nostalgia of the audience or to add onto an already beloved story. Yet oftentimes, the audience finds the remakes/sequels redundant, pointless, and insulting to the fandom. While not everyone feels this way, an overwhelming majority of people do. So when a powerful, meaningful movie like “Mean Girls” was remade, the stakes are high.
The movie follows a new student, Cady (Angourie Rice) and her first high school experience, after being homeschooled in Africa for her first 17 years. Figuring out public school leads her to some misconceptions and trouble. Her influences lead her astray to a group of girls, also known as the “plastics”. Regina (René Rapp) leading the pack into chaos.
This movie revolutionized pop culture and the true meaning of self identity. Lines like “She doesn’t even go here!!” or “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” are infamous around all enjoyers of the film. Several favorite lines were not included in the remake, disappointing many fans. However, some of the mentioned lines may be perceived as offensive and closed minded by society's terms today. So with good reason.
Not only being a funny movie, but the film is packed with a lasting message about judgment on others and the importance of true kindness. From the mind of Tina Fey, the prevalence of this movie is still clear to see, even nearly 20 years later. Its impact on viewers and pop culture as a whole is no secret. The 2018 Broadway musical "Mean Girls" was a hit, So when it was announced the beloved story was getting a modern remake? Of the movie and musical? People had things to say.
While of course changes had to be made to modernize the movie, aspects like costumes, critics felt the movie carried too heavily on the social media influence and trends within and outside of the movie. Rolling Stone's David Fear agreed, saying:
"The fact that the directors lean heavily on TikTok stylistics and faux-phone recordings for a lot of their numbers makes sense on the page, since that's how so much musical content gets created and consumed these days."
Many felt the movie’s true meaning was lost within the in-your-face branding and random spurs of musical songs and dance. While the story is timeless, it is fair to say that the movie remake is a split debate.
