H. T. Davey Reviews

Review by H. T. Davey

Cruella (2021)

★★★½

Director: Craig Gillespie

Winning best costume design at this year’s Academy Awards, Cruella is a new adaption to the animated Disney film 101 Dalmatians storyline, introducing the origin story of the main villainess; Cruella de Vil.

We are introduced to Cruella as a child, young adult and emerging into adulthood in this coming of age, coming of villain story. We get to meet Estella aka Cruella, Jasper and Horace as young adults and their adventures in becoming thieves in a poor and broken world as orphans.

Estella who is an aspiring fashion designer gets a job working for a world renown designer, she is thrusted into the world of media, fashion, and the desire to be acknowledged and get redemption from her mother’s death.

The films costume design is one of the best elements of the film, we also have a memorable soundtrack with bands featured like Queen, The Bee Gees, The Doors, Blondie and The Clash, the film is a sure good time for a Disney adaption.

The set design of the film takes place in a run-down London in need of a makeover, the framing and lighting suggesting that the area is filled with lower class people and divided class dynamics. The movie’s lighting is largely dark and morbid, attending to a black and white theme throughout the production. At times the set felt like a theatre production, with large buildings, fancy dress parties and poorer neighborhoods. This all attributed to a well-made and proper Disney film.

This story has very little of romantic attraction or female/male relationships. Cruella being obsessed with her enemy of the film and her mother’s death as a child. Instead, it explores the effects of childhood trauma on the adult mind decades later, discovering Cruella’s obsessions and desires throughout the film. It gives an insight into the young adult mind of Cruella years before the events of 101 Dalmatians movie and how her evolution became so drastic.

An origin story that is also a powerful solo film starring Emma Stone. This movie showcased a brilliant Disney adaption to a well know criminal in the Disney universe.