---
title: "Cruella: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/cruella/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/cruella"
critics_score: 61
critics_reviews: 27
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Cruella (2021): what the critics said

Critics' score 61 from 27 reviews: 10 positive, 12 mixed, 5 negative.

The reviews lean towards qualified enjoyment, with mixed responses outnumbering outright endorsements. Praise centres on Jenny Beavan’s inventive costumes and the performances of Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, particularly their confrontations. Even several sceptical critics find pleasure in the fashion and the leads’ rapport. Admirers see a lively, stylish crime romp, with Thompson’s Baroness drawing particular approval and Stone making the origin story more entertaining than expected.

The spread is wide, but the complaints recur: excessive length, convoluted plotting and an attempt to make Cruella sympathetic that risks draining her menace. Several otherwise enthusiastic reviews concede that the story carries on too long. The soundtrack and punk styling divide opinion rather than winning consistent praise. Variety welcomes the reinvention as creative and empowering; Vulture finds its politics shallow and its costumes insufficient to give the film substance. The central disagreement is how much the clothes and performances compensate for the writing.

## Empire — Ben Travis

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Travis praises the film as a stylish, energetic crime-and-couture romp that makes Cruella’s wickedness entertaining. He especially singles out Emma Thompson’s commanding performance as the fearsome Baroness.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/cruella/)

## The i Paper — Francesca Steele

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2021. 

Steele finds the film an extremely zippy, fun dark comedy, though it runs too long and sags after its natural endpoint. She especially praises the fizzing dynamic between Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, alongside the costumes and soundtrack.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/cruella-review-emma-stone-is-at-her-absolute-best-in-this-fantastically-fun-dark-comedy-1022922)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Rating Critics Pick. 26 May 2021. 

Debruge praises the film as an ingeniously creative, slyly empowering origin story that stands on its own. He particularly singles out its stylish reimagining and Emma Stone’s spirited performance.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/cruella-review-emma-stone-1234981828/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 4/5. 26 May 2021. 

O’Sullivan finds Cruella a delicious, fabulous romp despite its convoluted and ridiculous plot. She particularly praises Jenny Beavan’s inventive costumes, which help tell the story and make its fashion world come alive.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/cruella-film-review-fashion-origin-cruella-de-vil-101-dalmations-emma-stone-disney-b937204.html)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Rating 4/5. 26 May 2021. 

Bradshaw finds the prequel riotously entertaining and full of old-fashioned fun. He praises the lavish recreation of 1970s London and the standout performances by Emma Stone and Emma Thompson.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/may/26/cruella-review-emma-stone-emma-thompson-disney-101-dalmatians)

## Total Film — Kate Stables

Rating 4/5. 26 May 2021. 

Stables finds the prequel a deliciously rowdy, stylish success, though overlong and overstuffed with twists. She especially praises Emma Thompson’s scene-stealing Baroness and the film’s spectacular costumes.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/cruella-review-disney-plus/)

## IndieWire — Kate Erbland

Rating B-. 26 May 2021. 

Erbland finds the prequel spotty but entertaining, with its style helping make Cruella’s origin story work. She praises the costumes and Emma Stone’s performance, while faulting the film’s overstuffed, convoluted plot.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/cruella-review-prequel-1234639769/)

## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

The review presents the film as a flashy prequel, but the accessible text does not reveal the critic’s overall verdict. The standfirst names Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, but the full review’s praise or complaints are behind a paywall.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/cruella-review/5159821.article)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Lovia Gyarkye

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Gyarkye finds the film gorgeous and often fun, though not sufficiently vicious and sometimes slow. She praises Jenny Beavan’s elaborate costumes, while faulting the script and its underuse of punk-era London.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/disneys-cruella-film-review-1234957412/)

## The AV Club — Katie Rife

Rating C+. 26 May 2021. 

Rife finds Cruella visually indulgent and intermittently enjoyable, but overlong and messy in its storytelling. She singles out the elaborate costumes and sets for praise, while criticizing the film’s excessive length and unfocused plotting.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/cruella-is-stylish-and-chaotic-just-like-its-future-di-1846959646)

## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong

Rating 2/3/2. 26 May 2021. 

Strong finds the origin story overlong and largely uninspired, arguing that its tragic backstory drains Cruella of mystery. She singles out the film’s gowns as a pleasure, while criticizing its distracting soundtrack and try-hard writing.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/cruella)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 3/5. 25 May 2021. 

The review finds the film uneven, recommending its central clash while criticizing its ponderous origin story. It singles out Emma Stone and Emma Thompson’s baddie-off as the highlight.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/cruella-2021)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 58/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Chang finds the film enjoyable and dazzling on the surface, but ultimately confused and unsatisfying in its attempt to make Cruella sympathetic. He praises Emma Thompson’s deliciously imposing performance and the inventive costumes, while criticizing the script’s uncertain handling of Cruella’s villainy.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-05-26/cruella-review-disney-emma-stone-emma-thompson-101-dalmatians)

## Radio Times — Patrick Cremona

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Cremona finds the film enjoyable but says its overlong runtime makes it drag. He praises its fun romp, while noting that it can become a slog.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/cruella-review-disney-movie-fun-long-runtime/)

## Slant Magazine — Pat Brown

Rating 1.5/4. 26 May 2021. 

The review finds the film’s energetic surface unable to disguise its lifeless, factory-made feel. It notes that Emma Stone is fun to watch, but says her performance cannot restore the character’s lost menace.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/cruella-review-emma-stone-disney/)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Lane finds “Cruella” overlong and more catty than canine, criticizing its stretched-out emotions and music-video-like passages. He praises the performances of Tipper Seifert-Cleveland and Bluebell, while arguing the film gives its talented adult actresses more dramatic space than they need.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/07/why-movies-love-kids-books)

## Vulture — Angelica Jade Bastién

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 29 May 2021. 

The critic finds the film hollow, confused, and artistically facile. She singles out its shallow treatment of the madwoman archetype and girl-boss politics, while noting the costumes’ beauty feels inert.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/cruella-review.html)

## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher

Rating 4/5. 26 May 2021. 

Fletcher calls the film a joyful, vibrant romp and one of Disney’s strongest live-action remakes. She particularly praises Emma Stone’s magnetic performance and the film’s striking costumes.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/cruella-review/)

## NME

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review finds the punk-inflected origin story more compelling than expected, despite some contrivances. It especially praises Emma Stone’s performance and the film’s cinematography and costume design.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/cruella-review-disney-emma-stone-2948788)

## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 May 2021. 

The critic finds Cruella flashy fun despite its bloated runtime and softened take on the villain. They especially praise Emma Stone’s lively transformation between Estella and Cruella, and the film’s period fashion world.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/cruella-film-review-emma-stone-emma-thompson/)

## /Film — Josh Spiegel

Rating 5 out of 10. 26 May 2021. 

Spiegel finds the film stylish and intermittently entertaining, but ultimately overlong and unable to escape its origin-story constraints. He particularly praises Jenny Beavan’s striking costume design, while criticizing the plodding pace.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/581313/cruella-review/)

## Paste — Jacob Oller

Rating 6.0/10. 26 May 2021. 

Oller finds the film stylish and intermittently enjoyable, but ultimately muddled and overlong. He praises Emma Stone and Emma Thompson’s performances and Jenny Beavan’s costumes, while faulting the canon-driven plot and corporate mall-punk aesthetic.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/disney/cruella-review)

## Consequence — Clint Worthington

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

Worthington finds the film entertaining and stylish, but says its formulaic story and excessive length make it fall flat. He especially praises the elaborate, punk-inspired costumes designed by Jenny Beavan.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2021/05/cruella-review-disney-movie/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating C-. 26 May 2021. 

Goldberg finds the film overlong, bloated, and derivative, though occasionally fun. He praises the lively performances and especially Jenny Beavan’s costume design.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/cruella-review-emma-stone/)

## The Playlist — Robert Daniels

Rating C-. 26 May 2021. 

Daniels finds the origin story dull, overlong, and unclear about its purpose. He praises Emma Stone’s performance, her rapport with Emma Thompson, and the striking costumes, but says these strengths cannot overcome the convoluted plot.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/cruella-review-20210526/)

## Digital Spy — Gabriella Geisinger

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2021. 

The critic finds the film stylish but ultimately shallow, with its plot and pacing undermining the experience. The costumes and soundtrack stand out, especially when Emma Stone and Emma Thompson face off.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36527515/cruella-review-disney-plus/)

## The Ringer — Kate Halliwell

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 31 May 2021. 

Halliwell finds the film mediocre and ultimately tiresome despite its initial promise. She enjoys Cruella’s fashion-party montage, but criticizes the overlong story and its muddled attempt to redeem the villain.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2021/05/31/movies/cruella-review-101-dalmatians-villain-questions)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/cruella.md