
Movie review
May 26, 2021 · 134 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Cruella is a 2021 Disney live-action origin story set in 1970s punk London that follows aspiring fashion designer Estella as she transforms into the revenge-driven anti-hero Cruella de Vil. The narrative revolves around her rivalry with the powerful Baroness von Hellman and her embrace of a wicked persona. It features visible girlboss-style female empowerment through revenge and includes a flamboyant gay supporting character as an ally.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Cruella.
Woke representation / casting
Flamboyant gay character Artie featured as visible queer ally
Woke political dialogue
Rebellion and self-empowerment lines present
Identity-driven story themes
Girlboss female revenge empowerment arc
Western institutional / cultural critique
Fashion elite portrayed as ruthless
Woke character or canon changes
Major changes to canon making Cruella sympathetic with trauma backstory
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Fringe backlash over gay character and girlboss villain
Creator track record context
Writer Tony McNamara has history with feminist and queer themes in prior work
Production