Over the past couple of decades, the Disney franchise has gifted us quite a few memorable animated originals. However, I have found that only sighs are exchanged when a live action remake is produced from the surplus of money that the company has–until now. “Cruella,” which came out in late May, was a pleasant surprise and unexpected feat after the long line of live action remakes before it.

“Cruella” centers around the tragic and sporadically comedic backstory of Cruella Deville, one of the most unhinged antagonists in movie history from Disney’s “101 Dalmatians.” From the cinematography to the acting to the plot, “Cruella” is a brilliant and masterful use of Disney’s money and creative platform.

The story starts off with Cruella as a young girl, then called Estella, growing up in 1960s England. After her beloved mother dies, Estella is forced to make her own way in the world and live as an orphan on the streets of London. She soon meets two other orphans roaming the city, Jasper and Horace, and the three become inseparable. A familial bond is formed between the three misfits. Once Estella grows up, she longs to do more for herself than stealing and getting by dishonorably as they had been for years. After receiving a seemingly life-changing opportunity at a fashion warehouse, Estella decides to pursue a career in fashion. This is when The Baroness, a filthy rich and very well respected fashion designer, (Emma Thompson) steps in and spots Estella’s talent. Estella finds herself living her dream alongside one of the most influencial fashion designers of her time, However, her joy and excitement quickly turns into anger and hatred when a dark secret about The Baroness comes to light. Estella then drastically transforms into Cruella: a cunning and motivated woman her aim being to crush The Baroness. Through party crashing and fabulous wardrobe changes, Cruella becomes the Baroness’s stiffest competition, a power struggle developing between the two women that would ultimately lead to the downfall of one in the end.

Almost everything about Cruella is perfection, and has practically all of the things a good movie should have: aesthetically pleasing cinematography, a well curated soundtrack and a beautiful, extravagant wardrobe. Jenny Beaven, the costume designer for “Cruella” and Oscar-winner for her work in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” aimed to create a punk feel through detailed, beautiful, and at times extreme clothing. In terms of the soundtrack, the creators were able to execute a punk rock, satirical, 70s feel, incorporating music from Florence + the Machine, Nina Simone, the Clash and Blondie.

Though the cinematic details mentioned above contributed greatly to the success of the movie, the acting was what made it. Emma Stone’s portrayal of Cruella was both chilling and human. The 32-year-old actress not only perfected the villain’s mannerisms and evil laugh, but also executed her part in an emotional and human way.

I believe, however, that there is one particular scene that Stone should be receive an Academy Award for. Stone’s acting in this scene is beautiful and raw. Her eyes alone portray the misunderstood nature of Cruella and her story. Emma Thompson’s acting as The Baroness was also impeccable, but in a different, less human way. The Baroness’ character was supposed to be less human than Cruella: an emotionless, cold person, the creator of a villain, which was exactly what was reflected in Thompson’s acting. The actress’ great versatility is seen in this movie, proving yet again Thompson’s range.

The one critique I would have for “Cruella” is that although it did an extraordinary job coming full circle and tying everything up in the end, there was a bit of disconnect between the character that we see in “Cruella” versus the character in “101 Dalmations.” Though Anita, one of the main original characters of “101 Dalmatians,” has a pretty prominent role in “Cruella,” the movie still seems like a cash grab rather than a prequel or back story. In the end, “Cruella” satisfied many of the goals it was looking to accomplish.

All in all, “Cruella” is a great victory: a satisfying and emotional portrayal of a notorious villain’s humanity. Especially after all of its twists and turns, “Cruella” was a triumph, and like our main character herself says, it is “the future.”

Grade: A