If you're a fan of the original film, the new Mean Girls is different enough to have a fresh perspective on a twenty-year old film. It may not have the same impact as the original, but it's a fun ride all the same. This one is out now.
“From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.”
The original Mean Girls was an instant classic the moment it came out, speaking to that generation of all the pitfalls of high school hierarchy, and the dangers within. It’s hard to imagine it’s been two decades since its release, with an entirely new atmosphere and obstacles for teens. This new film is an oddity. It’s not quite a remake, but interestingly what it does is take major elements from the original film and apply them to a new type of high school, as a musical.
It’s not often something like this occurs, if ever: a new film based on the musical which was based on the original film. Mean Girls includes all the hit songs from the play, but there are still challenges in translating that to the screen, as well as the challenge of making the film identifiable to the current generation. The musical part of it is well done. It changes the structure of the story somewhat, with a different opening than the original film, with Janis and Damian introducing the story as part of a cautionary tale. Certain other elements are now missing, such as all of Cady’s narration throughout the film, most of which was always very informative, funny, and introduced certain social comparisons of high school to that of the animal kingdom. While the musical numbers certainly are funny and convey the inner monologue of the characters, the social dynamic part of the story that I enjoyed so much from the first seems lost in the dance numbers. It just doesn’t have the same impact of seeing a normal lunchroom suddenly break into animalistic and primal behavior as it does seeing gyrating teens singing about cliques.
Some of the differences from the original film can be subtle, but the biggest difference is the high school setting in general. Things have changed drastically in twenty years. Social media means more than anything, and if someone was humiliated in the hallways, would anyone even look up from their phones to notice? This Mean Girls uses cell phones and social media fairly well as a new element to the story, especially the sequence of Cady trying to humiliate Regina, only to have it backfire and create a new fad in the school. Additionally, instead of making copies of the Burn Book and scattering them throughout the school, a simple ‘share’ and it’s instantly spread to hundreds of people. There is also a great use in one of the musical sequences at Cady’s party.
You’ll see a lot of new faces in this film, and some familiar ones as well. While there aren’t as many cameos from the original as I would have hoped, there are some good ones. Angourie Rice does a good job as Cady. She’s got the talent, the voice, and blends in to each clique well. It’s hard to live up to Lindsay Lohan’s Cady Heron. The rest of the cast is impressive in their own way, bringing a unique spin on each one of the original characters, something new and refreshing from the original.
Video
Mean Girls is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra-High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1 featuring Dolby Vision. This film looks amazing. Bright and vivid colors throughout the entire film, especially in some of the musical sequences, really pop with the UHD. The picture is crisp, clear and detailed, ensuring the best possible viewing quality.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, a perfect mix for a musical film. There is a great balance between the center and surrounds, and while you can really get immersed in the action and music, the dialogue is always clear and concise.
Special Features
This set includes a 4k disc only with digital code. Extras include:
- A New Age of Mean Girl
- Song and Dance
- The New Plastics
- Extended Scene – I’m having a Small Get Together at My House
- Gag Reel
- Not My Fault – Music Video with Renee Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion
- Mean Girls Sing-Along with Select Songs
It’s easy to be protective of something you enjoy. The internet is full of people who think any deviation of what they love is a personal attack. This new Mean Girls isn’t the same as the original, and that’s a good thing. For me, it didn’t quite have the same impact as the original, in many different ways, but it may have that impact on a younger generation. If you’re a fan of the original film, this is a good companion film and can be a lot of fun spotting the subtle differences between the films, and especially the similarities that can play equally as funny now as it did twenty years ago.
