Review: CRUELLA Is Great and My Favorite Live-Action Film Based on a Disney Character

I know I’m late to the game on this, but I finally had the opportunity to head out to the theater to see Disney’s Cruella. I enjoyed what I saw in the trailers, and those trailers got me excited about seeing the film. I only hoped that the film would be as good as the trailers made it out to be. Well, Cruella ended up being better! It exceeded my expectations and it’s hands down my favorite live-action movie that is based on a classic animated Disney character.

Emma Stone was freakin’ awesome in this movie, and come award season, I hope that she’s recognized for her work in the movie. She owned the role of Cruella, and it is easily my favorite performance from the actress. It was just so damn fun to watch her bring this wild and crazy character to life as the film told her origin story.

I really didn’t know exactly what to expect to see as the story played out, but it takes audiences on a journey from Cruella’s savage childhood, to a crafty grifter, to working for a legendary fashion designer in London, Baroness von Hellman. As she fights her up the ladder and befriends the designer, she ends up finding herself at odds with Baroness and competes against her with her wild fashion sensibilities and makes her life a living hell. It’s during this time that Cruella fully embraces her wonderfully wicked side.

One of the things I respect about the film is that it doesn’t shy away from being dark. It’s definitely not a jet-black movie; it’s still Disney. But, the film did some things I was actually kind of surprised that Disney allowed. It’s really quite a sinister story that is filled with some interesting and surprising twists and turns that gives some emotional weight to Cruella’s origin. It felt dark in the same way as the older animated films that Disney used to make were dark. 

Director Craig Gillespie did a fantastic telling this fantastic and well-crafted story on film and the acting was so good! Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hasuer, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong all gave phenomenal performances.

I also absolutely loved the visuals of the film. From the sets to the costumes, it was just a beautiful looking movie. That along with the awesome soundtrack really made the film and the story pop. Damn, that soundtrack was perfect! I appreciated how the music was used in the film to enhance the story and the movie-going experience.

I loved Cruella! If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, you should definitely check it out! If you liked what you saw in the trailers, you’ll love the movie.