Cruella is one of the best Disney live-action films I have seen since Maleficent. I’m not a Disney fan, but I’m a fan of villains. When you get to see how a villain came to be, you suddenly understand their actions and feelings. Sometimes you may root for them, other times their actions may be a little much. Cruella was incredible thanks to Emma Stone’s performance, the cleverly executed plot, and the gorgeous visuals.
Spoilers ahead!
Immediately after the trailer was released, many articles compared Stone’s ‘Cruella’ to the Joker. After watching the movie, I agree that Stone’s performance, and her style, resembled some essence of the “Clown Prince of Crime”of Gotham City.
The Joker comparison doesn’t define her character nor her performance, but it’s an amazing parallel. The way she sets apart the sweet and innocent “Estella” from the ruthless and relentless “Cruella” persona is simply astonishing.
Cruella has a relatable dark and grim life and I applaud the life Stone brings to the character. There is a scene that stuck with me where she delivers a deep message that defines her—her true self and her actions. I almost cried at the scene when she “spoke to” her dead “mother” at the fountain in Regent’s Park about herself after finding out who her true mother was. How she lived as a shadow, and that she was always meant to be Cruella.
This brings me to the flawless execution of the plot! The film started with Cruella’s birth, but we never see her mother’s face, and the scene transitions give us the impression that the woman raising her is her mother. We find out later with Cruella that she’s not her birth mother, and you can feel the surprise with Cruella.
The order of scenes when telling a story in a film is so important depending on what impression you’re going to leave the audience with, and that scene is probably the biggest moment of this film. We go into the film blind without realizing it. I can’t stress enough how incredible that revelation is.
Now, the visuals are a stunning grim and vibrant balance. The environment and the way fashion plays a big part in it defines the overall aesthetic. Cruella’s fashion invasion is one of the aesthetic’s focal points. Not to mention how her makeup and clothes are joker-esque. If someone told me she’s a character in the DC universe, I would believe it.
Overall, this film was way better than I had expected. I praise Emma Stone for an immaculate performance. The plot execution was perfect, and the visuals are amazing and complementary to the story. This film entirely looks like a sub-story of a villain in the Gotham universe and I am all for it.
Get your tickets to see Cruella here!
With that said, I hope my insight has enlightened you and I’d love to talk about this in-depth! If you’d like to see more of my random content or would like to contact me, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr. You may also email me at jrnw99@gmail.com if you prefer.
Correction 7.26.21: This article was updated to correct “Ella” to “Estella”
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