It’s been three years since the prequel to one of the most beloved animated films arrived in theaters. The buzz and excitement for Cruella was quite high following an incredible trailer that had audiences comparing the film to Joker. Unfortunately, the critical reception of the 2021 movie wasn’t particularly that great. Cruella by no means was a terrible film, but it surely didn’t live up to the hype of what people wanted it to be.
At the end of the day, it comes down to the writing and it would’ve been possible for the film craft something truly memorable in a span of two hours. However, there felt like so much details missing that Cruella’s story couldn’t just fit into a single movie. Given the story that was presented, the would’ve been better served as a mini-series so audiences could get the full context of the character.
A Mini-Series Would’ve Allowed More Spotlight On Cruella’s Childhood
Admittedly, it was disappointing in seeing the route that the writers took with Cruella’s story. The character was a fun (if not dark) villain in the original cartoon and there was unlimited possibilities for fill in the gaps about a woman who loves to murder puppies. Going in the generic, “she was bullied” story felt lazy, but it never got to the root of her issues in regards to her hatred for dogs. Apart of me feels that Disney was afraid to truly push the boundaries of the Cruella character. She is one of the more darker villains from the animated films.
Giving more focus on her childhood would’ve been a better analyst of her psyche. Even villains have more depth than what’s beyond the surface, so keeping the bullying angle would’ve been fine. However, the film makes it clear that Cruella has some screws loose in the head and it would’ve served the character better to see her slow deterioration of her mental state. Really getting into the slow descent of her madness will further explain her erratic behavior as an adult.
It Would’ve Helped Give More Details About Her Relationship With Animals
The reason why Cruella hates animals is laughably bad. I won’t even get started on the reason she has black and white hair. It’s one thing if she was vicious attacked by a Dalmatian as a young child. That could be a truly traumatizing experience and be a great reason why she hates them. It’s also possible that she simply hates all forms of animal life. Again, it feels like Disney was afraid to go too dark with this character. But what’s the purpose of greenlighting a Cruella prequel if you’re not to fully explore the dark elements of her character?
She a dog killer. So naturally, it wouldn’t be surprising if she was the type of person who tortured or hurt animals. The film so desperately wants to believe that she’s a good girl gone bad that the final result was rather short sighted. Cruella knows that the Baroness is the reason why the Dalmatians pushed her mother off the cliff. How can she hate them for what their master commanded them to do? Even by film’s end, she still seemed to loving embrace the adorable animals.
We need a stronger sense about her relationship with animals. Though to be fair, the writing really failed to explore that dynamic effectively. This all goes back to giving a longer focus to her childhood; it would help audiences understand her relationships with these creatures and even open a layer that was oddly missing in the film.
It Could’ve Given The Baroness So More Time To Shine As Well
The Baroness is a fun character. It helps that Emma Thompson is such a joy to watch throughout her screen time. This is Cruella’s story, so naturally, we won’t have the time to focus on The Baroness’ backstory. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t get more insight about the character and why she feels threatened by Cruella.
The film does a decent enough job of giving you an understanding of her hatred towards her character, but there’s she’s clearly a psychopath as she proudly orders her dogs to kill Cruella’s mother. What made her into such a vengeful spirit? Developing the villain and showcase her personal life would’ve done wonders for the character and helped further her rivalry with Cruella. I do hope that there’s a part two to Cruella because there’s plenty of content that should be explored with this character.
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