This attempt to revamp Mean Girls for the digital age (it of course features a joke about choking even if the humour lacks some bite), adapted from the 2004 film and based on the stage musical by original co-creator Tina Fey is a brilliant showcase for its bright young stars. Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr, the pair inject vibrant music-video cool into the big numbers so it’s a shame the narrative hasn’t been updated to say anything particularly fresh. 

Angourie Rice stars as Cady, the new girl who has moved from Kenya to the USA and is a whizz at maths. Rice is convincing at playing nice; however, it is Reneé Rapp as queen of the plastics Regina George, and Auli’i Cravalho (the voice of Moana) as Janis, an outsider hellbent on revenge, who really shine, especially in their big numbers. Both are mesmerising in very specific ways: Rapp’s vocals performing ‘Someone Gets Hurt’ are huskily captivating and her charisma scorches the screen while Cravalho gives off an alluring energy and has superb comedic timing. Her intricate eye make-up and irresistibly cool outfits by Tom Broecker are glamorous #bisexuallifegoals. Supporting cast members Jaquel Spivey and Avantika provide some laugh-out-loud moments too. 

Bitchy high-school shenanigans, clique wars, bullying, self-esteem issues and harsh beauty regimes remain the focus of the film yet in comparison to modern teen films such as Booksmart and Bottoms, Mean Girls plays out with fewer laughs and less edge. It’s difficult to shake the feeling that this was an unnecessary remake, though hardcore fans may love seeing the entertaining musical numbers up on the big screen. 

Mean Girls is in cinemas from Friday 19 January.