Review: West Side Story gets a punk rock makeover with the brutal RIOT GIRLS

Set in an alternate 1995 where all of the adults have mysteriously died off, Riot Girls takes place in a world populated solely with teenagers and children, who deal with their place in the new world by forming two rival gangs who ruthlessly compete for power and resources. The East side kids are mostly made up of scrappy punk rockers who scavenge to get by, while the well-off, varsity jacket-sporting Titans are bunkered down in the high school in the West end. After a botched robbery of a Titans delivery truck, Jack (Alexandre Bourgeois) is taken hostage by the Titans, led by the cruel Jeremy (Munro Chambers). In a last-ditch attempt to save Jack, his sister Nat (Madison Iseman) and her best friend Scratch (Paloma Kwiatkowski) hatch a desperate and dangerous plan to rescue Jack by any means necessary.

Director Jovanka Vuckovic (XX) stages Riot Girls with an intensity and level of violence that comes as a bit of a shock given the age of the characters and the film’s initial set-up. With an animated opening sequence that takes on the look of a series of comic book panels, complete with word balloons, Vuckovic makes her pop culture touchstones clear, but Riot Girls is rarely solely played for fun or laughs. The gang war between these two factions is deadly serious, with real stakes on both sides.

While teenagers murdering each other is heavy stuff, the mood is somewhat lightened by the interplay between Nat and Scratch, and their extended family of fellow hardened East Side youth. Kwiatkowski delivers a moving performance as the punk-as-fuck Scratch, who eventually reveals a deeper persona as the film progresses, while Iseman’s more level-headed Nat serves as a perfect foil to Scratch’s intensity. As tough as their predicament is, at its heart Riot Girls is an empowering story of these young women taking charge of a difficult situation and putting themselves on the line for the greater good. Despite their circumstances, Scratch and Nat are never portrayed as victims, and there’s a cathartic thrill seeing them taking on the fascistic Titans bros on their own turf.

With a disturbing look at (actual) class warfare, Riot Girls defies expectations at every turn, making for an invigorating viewing experience. The mix of brutal violence and black comedy won’t be for everyone, but if you can get onboard with the film’s off-kilter tone then Riot Girls is definitely worth seeking out. Backed by a ripping soundtrack of era-appropriate punk rock from the likes of L7, Joan Jett, Girl School, SNFU, and more, Riot Girls is a timely, high-energy jolt of a film that takes the class and gang themes of West Side Story and updates them with a decidedly feminist twist. The kids may not be alright, but at least they have a killer soundtrack.

Riot Girls is in select theatres and VOD on September 13.