Cruella is a comedy film based on the classic children's tale of the 101 Dalmatians. The film premiered on May 27, 2021 with an exhibition both in theaters and through the Disney + streaming platform. It is an ideal production for those who are fans of the stories of the house of the mouse, because it takes as a point of reference the character of Cruella de Vil. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, an Australian filmmaker who is recognized for films such as Mr. Woodcock, Lars and the Real Girl, among others. Also, another of the great attractions is the leading role of Emma Stone and Emma Thompson.

Upon arriving in London, he must survive with the help of a pair of child thieves: Gaspar and Horacio. They grow up together as a family with a couple of adorable dogs. Ten years later, Estela wants to leave the life of crime behind and fulfill her dream of becoming a fashion designer. That puts her in front of the eyes of The Baroness, a woman as talented and successful as she is evil. Beside him, Estela discovers secrets about her past and that the only way to achieve what she wants in life is to be as ruthless as her rival. Only the villains get ahead. Cruella must return.

The center of this story is not the charismatic 101 Dalmatians we met in the children's story. On this occasion, everything revolves around the character of Cruella, with the only difference that we will meet her before becoming the recognized and eccentric fashion designer, in such a way we will know the most human face of Cruella, moving us during her start to the childhood of the character, to the harsh trauma that conditions her childhood and adolescence, and how the intervention of a new villain conditions her character and her future actions, turning her little by little into Cruella de Vil .. This is how the story explores the transformation of the young Estella on the vengeful woman dying to make herself a Dalmatian coat.

This turns out to be a much more special movie than expected. Cruella is a true reinvention of the character that, thanks to the fantastic acting of Emma Stone and a great sense of fashion, stands out among other similar works of Disney. Since this film was announced, we wondered how they would manage to make a character mainly known for wanting to kill puppies likeable. Popular culture can forgive a charismatic character for murder, but not the death of a cute and innocent pet.

Cruella like Maleficent, they tell a completely different story than the previous one, mixing some elements of the original, this time, Cruella is a story about social mobility and the way in which the powerful close the doors behind them when they reach the success. According to this, they could have left the subject of the Dalmatians completely out of the story, but they didn't. It is an important part of the brand. The way they finally use this breed of dog is so absurd, it seems included to make a bad joke at the expense of the audience.

That said, the viewer will not take long to see the similarity between the one we are dealing with with another film title: ‘The Devil Wears Prada‘ (2006). A plot completely immersed in the world of haute couture, in the tyranny exercised by a diva of the design sector over all its employees, and that shows the requirement of the catwalk in relation to risk and innovation to continue in the most tall.

All this will leave us with a haughty, tyrant and egocentric character like The Baroness (Emma Thompson). One of the most influential and admired dressmakers of her time, who will find in the young Estella / Cruella (Emma Stone) a worthy rival to eliminate. This rivalry will become an obsession for La Baronesa, who will see with anger how the talent of this young apprentice can pose a threat. For its part, the limitless evil of this character will end up “burying” the sweet and innocent Estella and making the imaginative, insensitive and psychotic Cruella emerge.

This passion of its protagonists for the world of fashion will give the film an effective and impressive staging. The powerful and imaginative designs made by Estella / Cruella deserve a special mention, since they manage to give character and personality to the visual proposal that we will enjoy in the film Cruella (2021). In addition, the costumes of these characters will serve as a differentiating element between the personality of both: The Baroness always more classic and ostentatious, while Estella / Cruella is more radical and risky in her designs.

The truth is that it's sad that Cruella's story falls into so many melodramatic clichés and that she doesn't take her ideas about the protagonist's ‘evil’ and ‘punk’ philosophy to the extreme. He wasted a lot of his potential. However, it is still an extremely entertaining ‘heist movie’, with a great protagonist, great aesthetics and a luxurious soundtrack that is very appropriate for the time in which the story takes place.