Cruella review round-up: Emma Stone's 101 Dalmatians prequel is 'deliciously dark'

Emma Stone-starrer Cruella will be released in theatres and Disney+ Hotstar on 28 May. Directed by Craig Gillespie, it is the prequel to 101 Dalmatians. The movie follows the life of aspiring fashion designer Estella de Vil and explores how she became Cruella de Vil, a criminal.

The film also stars Emma Thompson, Emily Beecham, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Mark Strong, and others.

Here are some of the reviews of Cruella:

Rolling Stones: The publication states that the movie is ‘talky and relatively quick on its feet’. It adds that Cruella is supported by a strong cast and the film’s music which is full of classics is also another one of its strong suits.

Variety: Calling it the right amount of ‘campy,’ the review appreciates the movie saying that it is an ‘unexpectedly empowering origin story’ and ‘deliciously dark.’ The publication states that Craig has rescued Cruella from the predictability of 101 Dalmatians.

Los Angeles Times: As per the review, the movie shows too much sympathy with the character Cruella. It also states that the on-screen battle of the characters of Emma Stone and Emma Thompson is hard to resist.

Deadline: Stone has been termed as perfect for the role of Cruella as she gives more than one dimension to the character. The review also appreciates ‘outrageous costumes’ by Oscar winner Jenny Beavan.

Collider: The publication called the movie a ‘case study’ in every tired trope ‘infecting’ blockbuster mainstream movies. The review criticised the film for being too bloated, calling its first arc ‘painfully long.’

The Wrap: This review states that watching Stone jump back and forth between Estella and Cruella. It also said that the movie has ‘rehabilitated’ a villain yet again like the studio’s Maleficent and Craig’s I, Tonya.