‘Cruella’ is Disney’s Tribute to Fashion and 70s Glam-Punk
It’s got a killer soundtrack and some excellent performances – Cruella is a rebellious fashion tale with a (Disneyfied) glam-punk sensibility.
In the modern-day, Disney has sought to tell the stories of some of its most iconic villains. After the success of Maleficent, it was time for the children’s entertainment behemoth to set the record straight about Cruella DeVille.
And who would step into the luxurious furs and fashions of the villainess? Emma Stone was cast as the up-and-coming fashion designer. Sharing the screen would be Emma Thompson as the haughty fashion designer known as the Baroness, and Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser as the street-wise conmen Jasper and Horace.
This review will contain some very minor spoilers for Disney’s ‘Cruella’. You’ve been warned, darling.
Cruella Charms
I just wanna start this Cruella review by saying that I didn’t want this movie. In no way was I asking for this particular villain to get her own film. When this was announced, I could not have rolled my eyes harder. Any Disney villain feature film that isn’t an Ursula origin story starring a fat drag queen upsets me. Move it along, Mouse.
So I was genuinely surprised when I really enjoyed this movie. I loved the aesthetic and the music choices, even if it felt a little like a glam-punk version of Kidz Bop. The music choices did a great job setting a vibe and placing the story in a quasi-70s timeline.
Love to hate this fabulous-looking woman, courtesy of Disney
Emma Thompson is a magnificent villain in this story. She’s condescending and dehumanizing, so you love to see Cruella constantly outdo her. She serves as an example of what Cruella rallies against – and what she ultimately becomes. Between her and Cruella’s character, the film is a stunning display of fashion excellence.
And for those who cringe at the thought of even fictional dogs being mistreated, I love how dogs were integrated into the story. You can’t have a 101 Dalmatians spin-off story and not have cute dogs.
Cruella actually being a dog person is a retcon I approve of, courtesy of Disney
But Cruella Hogged the Screen
The film’s use of its supporting characters left a little to be desired. For one, I’m not sure if the film was trying to build romantic tension between Jasper and Estella. It’s hard to resist the temptation – after all, Joel Fry is 100% swoon-worthy. I’d love to see him as a romantic lead in another context. Estella’s treatment of Horace and Jasper didn’t quite resolve itself to my satisfaction, and I wonder if the two lovable goofballs would have functioned better as their own self-contained odd-couple.
This dynamic could have used some adjustment, courtesy of Disney
Either way, the two characters were under-utilized. And so was Artie (John McCrea), who was giving me life every time he was on screen, but wasn’t really given room to be a real character. It felt like they were there to be helpful, gorgeous, and sing a cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog”.
My new favorite Disney queen, I would die for her, courtesy of Disney
Cruella: Final Thoughts
Visually, Cruella is magnificent. The original Disney cartoon certainly has its share of outdated subtext – the female fashion-industry mogul is portrayed as single, villainous, vain, materialistic, and looking to murder a whole lot of puppies. The Disneyfied retelling of her story casts her as a revolutionary force with ambition and a keen eye for aesthetics. Not to mention fueled by revenge. You go, girl.
But we leave the film not knowing exactly how we’re supposed to feel about Estella/Cruella as a character. While that does seem par for the course (she’s a villain after all), I felt fond of some of the characters she and her narrative sidelined.
