Disney’s Cruella – A Different Disney Origin Story (Early Review)

The Disney live action film adaptations are an inevitability and that’s okay. Cruella, based on the infamous villain of the 101 Dalmatians film series, does things a little differently to its benefit. It certainly doesn’t feel like a Disney film in the traditional sense which only made it better. This prequel to the story most people have already seen at some point in their lives, takes the character of Cruella and puts her in a retro tale full of cool, edge, and a great soundtrack to exemplify that edge. A compelling blast of an origin story in its own right, the technical artistry on display between the costumes, production design, and the makeup and hairstyling should be just as commended as its performances with Emma Stone taking charge as the titular not so bad yet baddie and Emma Thompson serving as an entertaining, scenery-chewing foil. Though its long running time, clocking in at nearly 2.5 hours, may be an issue, one won’t notice while watching. As another Disney+ Premier Access title alongside a regular theatrical release, the question of its viability is a fair one and their are plenty of valid circumstances dictating either side of that argument but either way, viewers will be treated to a good time whichever way they choose to see it.

As mentioned, Cruella is a prequel film following the character (Stone) before she took up the mantle of Cruella de Vil. Born Estella, she was a very talented and gifted teen who wasn’t like everyone else and dreamed of one day being a fashion designer. That was until her life had a different plan for her after a freak tragedy orphaned her at a young age. Penniless and with her dog on her side, Estella ended up in London and found refuge in Jasper and Horace, a pair of orphaned boys, From there, the three turned to a life of petty crime to survive the harsh 1960s London streets. With aspirations of something more from her life, as a life of crime wasn’t going to last forever, Estella got the chance to pursue her dream by working her way up from the bottom. Her fortune turned for the better after catching the eye of legendary fashion designer Baroness von Hellman (Thompson). The Baroness was definitely an eccentric personality known for her high standards, making for an intimidating presence for anyone.

Sharing obvious similarities to The Devil Wears Prada, Estella was enamored by her idol therefore worked hard to break into the Baroness’ organization and get some much needed acknowledgment and guidance. Despite her gruff and arrogant demeanour that pushed everyone around her for better or worse, she saw something in Estella and her fresh perspective and ideas. The two represented what was the past and future of the London fashion scene. Living in a universe where she went unquestioned and unchallenged, it seemed like Estella was what she needed but whether or not the Baroness would be open to her was a different question altogether. Nevertheless, watching Estella attempt to make her mark while the Baroness chewed out those around her in increasingly outrageous ways was a blast to watch. However, this only set the stage for some real fireworks as far as Estella and the Baroness’ relationship was concerned.

The relationship between Estella and the Baroness evolved into a fun rivalry of sorts as the former started to embrace her darker alter ego who we know to be Crue as she went out of her way to show up the latter at every turn. Having the spotlight on herself for most of her professional career, the shift of attention towards her competitor at her expense was something the Baroness would not take lightly. Meanwhile, this public rivalry only shone a light on her outdated and out of touch ways. With the Baroness’ power and relevance slipping, the stakes became dire as something had to give. The ultimate outcome may have been a predictable one, knowing the character of Cruella, but it did not take away from its grand climax. Leaving an opening for more story between then and when we see her next, it will certainly be interesting to see if there will be more adventures.

Technically speaking, Cruella is an impressive sight to behold. With beautiful and clean production design both outside and inside, its cool version of 1970s London becomes yet another character in the story. Being a film that leans heavily on fashion, the costumes had to be up to par and they also did not disappoint. Estella and the Baroness’ many extravagant looks were one thing that will certainly catch the eye but that level of details and care was extended to everyone else on screen while the makeup and hairstyling work rounded things out nicely. If there’s anything that will rub some viewers the wrong way, it’s the soundtrack. Featuring an eclectic mix of classic punk rock, it’s both cool and definitely unlike usual Disney films. There’s just a lot of it here which will take some getting used to and may be distracting for some.

In the end, the best part of Cruella was of course its pair of stellar lead performances from Emma Stone and Emma Thompson and their great chemistry as Estella/Cruella and the Baroness. In one of her career-best performances, Stone dove deep within herself, showing range and essentially humanizing the sinister villain by making her a very rootable character in spite of what we know about her. She and her antics were a blast to watch as she absolutely commanded the screen, creating an undeniable, larger-than-life presence. Stone’s chemistry with Fry and Paul Walter Hauser as the adult Jasper and Horace was also a delight. Thompson as the Baroness was up to Stone’s level and looked to have a blast as the campy foil. Her screen presence was simply perfect for the character while her many scene-stealing line deliveries were entertaining to watch.

At the end of the day, Cruella is an origin story done right and one that should remain in the conversation for the rest of the year.

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.