Cruella - A Movie Review

If Cruella doesn’t scare you, then you’d better not get in her way.

Cruella was released to theaters in 2021. Following the life of a young Cruella de Vil, she finds an admiration for fashion. If anybody is going to remember her name, Cruella has to stick out to the world. Making a new name, Cruella does not stop in her vicious behavior.

I was so excited to be back in a movie theater after over a year. Based on most of the Disney live-action films, Cruella was a better film than to be expected. The film was well-acted, had a prominent storyline, and the costumes were tremendous. Cruella is an excellent, and ruthless, adaptation of a notable Disney villain.

Emma Stone completely loses herself as Cruella. I was very impressed with Stone’s performance. She delved into Cruella’s backstory and diverse personalities. Having a fashion niche, she shows off incredible outfits. Cruella’s fiery personality is given the right attention. I agree that more Disney films should focus on the villain’s story.

As the highlight of the film, Emma Thompson kills it in her performance as the Baroness. Tough to please, strict, and a fashionist, Thompson stole every scene. Stone and Thompson worked tremendously in their interactions. They were the best.

Though I feel like too much of Thompson’s role and personality copied Miranda Priestly, Meryl Streep’s signature part in The Devil Wears Prada. The whole movie gave that vibe, honestly.

The ensemble of Cruella was the best. Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser were the best Horace and Jasper. Honorable mention goes to Hauser for his tremendous comedic timing. He chewed the scenery in all of his scenes. I am impressed with his growing presence as an actor. Now I cannot wait to see him in more films.

Other credits include Emily Beecham, John McCree, Mark Strong, Kavyan Novak, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and the unforgettable appearance of Tipper Siefert-Cleveland as young Cruella. The cast did a fantastic job in bringing their characters to life.

Honestly, there was no need for Howell-Baptist’s (Anita) character. Playing a significant character from the 101 Dalmations films, It was obvious that the writers of Cruella wanted to include a vital segment that would transition into the original story.

Anita does not do anything, aside from reacting to situations. She is forgotten and is placed on the sidelines. I would have liked to have seen more of the friendship between Cruella and Anita. Their friendship is significant in the original story.

The costume designs were exquisite. Jenny Beaven did an impressive job creating stunning outfits. Makeup and hair are also a standout. And just the entire design layout of the film is eye-catching. It’s Academy Award territory, I’d say.

Craig Gillespie did an incredible job in bringing to life this story. Character direction was most notable. I have to say that this is my favorite of the Disney live-actions. It is an original story about a villain. We need more of these stories. Gillespie gave Cruella the depth that it needed.

The film could have been shorter. It lagged in the middle-half taking too long to get to the climax. There are also noticeable special effects. The CGI dogs were not distracting, but they took away from the energy of the film. Better attention could have been given to special effects. With the direction in which they were administered the effects felt unfinished.

Go out and see Cruella in theaters. I had a fun time watching this film. And it was so great to sit in a movie theater after so long. Cruella is a memorable film.