Cruella

These live-action Disney remakes are a fickle b***h.

Why? 

Because I tend to change my opinions on them days/weeks/month after the fact. As a critic, I do my best to review things through the lens of "How would I rate this 2-3 years from now?"

Being completely honest with myself, most of these Disney live action films are just...fine, but I tend to overrate them in the hours of review-writing afterwards, thanks to nostalgia. Mulan got a 7/10 from me and, while I suppose that's fair (a "good not great" score from Rath's Reviews), I can't for the life of me remember much about it. The Lion King is likely my worst offense...earning an 8/10 from me at the time despite some lifeless animals, going through the motions, and butchering a Hans Zimmer score's volume. 

Strangely, the one of these I enjoy the most is one that never reviewed because I was too busy at the time, Aladdin. I eventually caught it on a plane and thought it was a ton of fun, with loads of color, and Will Smith fit like a glove into the role of the genie. So yeah...these films tend to give me anxiety about just how much I'm going to think differently of them in a half-year's time. 

Cruella however? I'm confident about my take on this one partially because 1) I have little nostalgia for the 101 Dalmatians series and 2) it's a damn good movie and tries to do something unique with the titular character than all these other "remakes". 

Thus far - outside of maybe The Mitchells vs. the Machines - Cruella is my most pleasant surprise of 2021.

Despite being over 2 hours long with some inconsistent pacing, Cruella doesn't have much going against it. It's oddly rated PG-13 and while I suppose it would have been a "push" at PG, I also don't quite understand what led it into PG-13 territory. This is a dark origin tale, sure, but generally speaking it keeps things lighthearted and good-natured. It struggles to balance how quickly it turns from origin story into revenge tale into redemption tale, and thus makes the movie feel longer than it's actual runtime, a far cry from the other major release this weekend. But despite that, my fiancé and I were having a ball the whole time. This is very largely in part because Cruella has almost nothing to do with the animated film/story upon which it is based. There are the Marvel-esque nods to the eventual future, but they're few and far between. What this really becomes is The Devil Wears Prada meets family-revenge tale and the unique combination really pays off. This is a smart move by Disney to finally let these films have some breathing room and while, yes, this isn't a direct remake of any particular Disney classic, the lesson should be learned that coloring outside the lines makes for more impactful and unique films. 

This Emma hosted a ball...

There's an exciting emphasis on fashion here that pits Emma Stone's Estella versus Emma Thompson's Baroness. While Emma Stone's character has the "Cruella" side to her which easily steals the shows and scenes she occupies, it's the relationship between these two that really sings. Their tense, but playful chemistry takes up most of the screen time and each turns in shockingly great performances. Shocking not because of who they are, but because well...this is a Disney villain origin story after all. And as Emma Stone's portrayal begins to do things that are more villain-esque, Emma Thompson comes in and often reminds us that she does it better with what is likely to be one of the best villains of the year in the Baroness. Most other performances in the film are good/great - including some fun canines - but really it's the Emma vs. Emma power battle that makes it so much fun. 

And this Emma ruined it all...

On top of it all, the film has a lot going for it as a movie too. There are some fun fashion setpieces, some moments of really strong cinematography (including some that weirdly reminded me of The Dark Knight?), and a soundtrack that just does not stop. The soundtrack adds much of the punk, rock vibe that Stone's Cruella is going for and it makes many scenes throughout even better. But damn...are there a lot of songs and musical cues here...more than any I can remember. One might argue there are too many (I would, at a certain point it gets to be obnoxious) but the songs are great so...it's not a huge complaint. 

At year's end, I'm confident you won't find Cruella on my "Movies I Most Overrated" list, a place where many Disney remakes tend to end up (or  at least flirt with). Instead, I think you'll find it on my list of Biggest Surprises for the year and likely some performance nods for a couple of elaborate, over-the-top, but wildly entertaining characters from Stone and Thompson. Given that we're many examples into these live-action films however, I hope the biggest takeaway for Disney is to let future films like this breathe. Cruella makes it abundantly clear that you can mix business (using well-known IP to put butts in seats) and pleasure (letting there be an actually original origin story). 

CONS

• Feels longer than it is thanks to some pacing issues and there's a lot of story to tell
• And just too long to begin with. This didn't need to be 2+ hours
• Story feels like it meanders a bit before setting sights on the ending
• The music cues, while great, almost get to be too much. It feels like every scene transition has a new one
• Some pretty "meh" CGI when it's there

PROS

• A surprisingly original origin story for the Disney villain. There's honestly not much that ties it back to the animated classic and it's all the better for it
• Wonderful, sometimes zany performances by Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. Their dual is what gives the film its energy
• Focus on fashion is a fun...ahem...thread throughout
• Stylish and better made that some of the other live-action films we've gotten
• Awesome, London punk soundtrack that does not let up
• Fun side characters and wonderful dogs! 
• Impressive, entertaining, memorable, and not based in nostalgia

Rath's Review Score | 8/10