The origins of the deliciously devilish, dog-napping fashionista, Cruella De Vil, was never really something that had crossed my mind but with the announcement of Emma Stone (one of my favourite actresses) taking on the role and those incredibly edgy early images of her in full costume, I think it’s safe to say that I became fully invested in the Joker-esque look at the iconic Disney villainess.

Originally scheduled for a 2020 Christmas cinematic release, the Covid lockdown moved Cruella to a blended May 2021 release. Although I will always advocate a trip to the cinema – nothing beats the atmosphere of the big screen – Cruella is also available to stream on Disney Plus, for an additional fee on top of your normal subscription charges.

Young Estella is a loving daughter with a devilishly rebellious alter-ego, ‘Cruella’, an outrageously creative streak and a keen eye for fashion; and although she tries her best for her doting mother’s sake, Estella just can’t seem to stay out of trouble and after Estella gets kicked out of school, her mother decides to move them to London. In a Dickensian twist, Estella’s mother dies in an unfortunate accident and our heroine joins up with with plucky street urchins, Horace and Jasper, surviving years on the mean streets of London on only their wits and Estella’s skills with a needle and thread.

After years of grifting, and staring longingly at the designs of Baroness von Hellman, Estella finally gets a honest-to-goodness job at a department store, and an opportunity to impress the Baroness herself. As Estella grows and develops in her new world, quickly rising through the ranks and becoming the Baroness’s right hand woman but the closer she gets, the more she learns. And what she learns brings out Cruella on an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ mission of vengeance.

Although there are elements of and nods to the classic villain we know and love, sans Cruella De Vil’s trademark cigarette, director Craig Gillespie takes this story and makes it his own, giving us a stylishly edgy spectacle chock full of elaborate costume designs, stylish musical choices and snappy dialogue.

At a little over two hours, there is a fairly valid argument that the film outstays its welcome by 20-30 minutes and there were elements of the story that felt a little drawn out, but in all honesty, I found that to be a very minor criticism. As with I, Tonya, Gillespie’s previous feature film, his impressive framework is elevated by excellent casting and Cruella is no different.

Capable of giving us memorable and film-stealing side characters, such as that of Merlin in Kingsman, Mark Strong is always, in my opinion, a welcome addition to any film but unfortunately he fails to leave any sort of mark as The Baroness’s valet and confidante. Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser are thoroughly entertaining as Estella/Cruella’s partners-in-crime, Jasper and Horace, fleshing out the goofy and lovable buffoons into more relatable and emotional characters that are more than just sidekicks.

To round out the cast, we also have Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Estella’s school friend come journalist, Anita Darling, Jamie Demetrious as the sneeringly obnoxious store manager and John McCrea’s turn as the androgynous boutique owner, all of whom take their scarce and fleeting moments and run with them.

No matter how good the costume design may be or how likeable the side characters are, the success of this film falls squarely on the shoulders of the two Emmas.

There’s the old adage that nice people make great villains, and Emma Thompson is no exception delivering a deliciously callous and stunningly narcissistic character with no sense of emotional attachment or moral compass. Every biting comment or stone-cold sneer is a joy to watch, and with a distinct lack of redeeming qualities Thompson’s Baroness is one of those characters that viewers will love to hate.

Delivering the quirky charm and wicked sense of humour that we have come to love over the years, Emma Stone is clearly having a ball in the titular role. She embraces the tradition and expectation that fans have come to expect from the character whilst still giving us an interpretation that feels like her own, balancing Cruella’s manic creativity, greedy ambition and sense of vengeance with a glimmer of vulnerability and emotional depth.

Overall, Cruella is a thoroughly enjoyable watch and a great way to kick off our slow migration back to the big screen. With a sequel already agreed and in early development, with Emma Stone and Craig Gillespie also set to return, I am excited to see where they go with Cruella De Vil moving forward. Although many will agree that Cruella did feel a little safe, I mean it is Disney after all, I am hopeful that the follow up goes down a slightly darker route. Less Estella, more Cruella.