Cruella Reviews Released: What Do the Critics Think?

After few delays, thanks in part to a global pandemic, the origin story of one of Disney’s most iconic villains is finally making its way to screens big and small. Cruella, starring Emma Stone as the titular villainess, is being released in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access this Friday. Many film critics, however, have already had a chance to screen the film, and their reviews started going live on Wednesday morning.

With the mixed reaction to the various Cruella teasers and trailers, fans have been wondering how the final product would actually turn out. Would this be another lifeless installment in Disney’s run of live-action adaptations? Or could Cruella live up to the zany style of its trailers and deliver something totally unique?

So far, it looks as though the critical consensus is siding with the latter. Most of the reviews for Cruella have been very positive, praising the grand and campy tone of the film, as well as the performances from Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. There are a few negative reviews, of course, but the majority seem to be falling on the positive side.

You can check out a few of the Cruella reviews below, starting with our own, written by Jamie Jirak.

ComicBook.com – Jamie Jirak

“The movie isn’t perfect by any means and it could have been at least 30 minutes shorter, but between Craig Gillespie’s creative direction, Jenny Beavan’s electric costume design, and the wickedly captivating performances by Stone and Thompson, Cruella is easily one of Disney’s best live-action films to date.”

You can read our full review here.

The Hollywood Reporter – Lovia Gyarkye

“To fill her shoes — or should I say her furs — is a daunting undertaking. But it’s one Emma Stone tackles with admirable hustle and considerable charisma in Disney’s new Cruella. Stone’s task in this fitfully fun, frenzied, beautifully costumed version directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) is to help us understand a Cruella-in-progress — the person she was before she started kidnapping and skinning puppies. I admit to finding it hard to picture Stone going so flamboyantly savage; despite her lauded work in La La Land and The Favourite, the actress will, for me, forever be Olive from Easy A. But I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong.”

You can read The Hollywood Reporter‘s full review here.

Variety – Peter Debruge

“The director, who brought a wicked edge to pop-culture redux I, Tonya a few years back, has rescued Cruella from the predictability of the earlier 101 Dalmatians remakes and created a stylish new franchise of its own in which a one-time villain has been reborn as the unlikeliest of role models.”

You can read Variety‘s full review here.

EW – Leah Greenblatt

“The answer, apparently, is a movie as shiny and hectic as Cruella: a heady exercise in style and scenery-chewing whose high-gloss chaos seems designed less for cohesive storytelling or world-building than for looking super-cool in previews. Though the production is rich in other things, including Oscar-winning Emmas: Emma Stone stars as the iconic title character, an orphaned urchin with a flair for fashion and a marked distaste for certain canine breeds; Emma Thompson is the Baroness von Hellman, her erstwhile employer, mentor, and nemesis.”

You can read EW‘s full review here.

AV Club – Katie Rife

“A love of pure aesthetics will help anyone looking to appreciate the movie, whose sets and costumes are as indulgent as its soundtrack. As an opportunity for Emma Stone to purr and vamp in elaborate gowns, Cruella is plenty enjoyable. But the ‘too much is just enough’ attitude that makes it visually pleasurable also makes it a slog in the storytelling department.”

You can read AV Club‘s full review here.

The Verge – Alex Cranz

“You usually know when you’re supposed to laugh and when you’re just supposed to enjoy yourself watching a movie, but I found myself torn constantly by Cruella. It’s like a fairy tale, and it’s like a really good graphic novel, and it’s unlike any of the films it will get compared to.”

You can read The Verge‘s full review here.

IGN – Kristy Puchko

“The result is a wonky ride that feels like Cruella herself might be at the wheel. All that said, this studio franchise entry makes some big, wild swings that are simply spectacular. Along with the glorious gonzo fashion, this cacophonic film offers complicated female characters with unapologetic attitude, grand ambition, and a truly bonkers backstory that’s better left unspoiled.”

You can read IGN‘s full review here.

IndieWire – Kate Erbland

“Eventually, the film settles on an idea that’s both mature and simplistic, and certainly not necessarily appealing to the younger set: What if Cruella is just, well, sort of insane? It’s hard to argue with that logic, even if it feels like something of a cop-out. Stone is talented enough to ride the many vagaries of Estella and Cruella; the trappings around her can feel outsized and nutty, but she’s always believable. It’s a spectacle that only Disney could mount.”

You can read IndieWire‘s full review here.