While this is by no means as good as the animated version, it's not too bad for a live-action adaption. The story and characters are the same, but some things are done differently: namely, the animals don't talk, and there is more attention on the humans. The beginning of the film alone basically focuses on Roger and Anita getting together more then Pongo and Perdy. But with that said, the human characters are likable. I liked Roger and Anita getting together, and Mark Williams and Hugh Laurie as Horace and Jasper - while not as funny as the original characters, have their moments. The one character that I did not care for was Nanny. The way she reacts to the puppies being stolen is so dull. She just had almost no energy in worrying that the puppies are gone. And of coarse there's Glenn Close as Cruella. Close is what gives this film its real identity. The character herself is over-the-top, but she gives so much energy in her body movement and her dialogue and, of coarse, her evil laugh. She is by far the most memorable thing in the movie, and I kind would've liked to have seen more of her. In fact, there's talk of Disney possibly making an origin film of Cruella, possibly starring Emma Stone. I have my concerns as much as the next person, but if they do, I hope they can remember that, unlike Maleficent, Cruella De Vil is a fun, comedic character, and that they should use that to their advantage. Maybe not so much as to go as over-the-top as Glenn Close has, but enough that Emma Stone can have a ton of fun with this possible role. And as a fan of Stone, that is something I would love to see, because I think there are so many possibilities that they can do with her as Cruella.
Apparently, there were some people who were shocked/pissed that the dogs didn't talk in this film. Deep down however, this makes more sense. This is live-action, and giving us talking animals would be a little weird. Plus, they still found a way for the animals to be characters without having dialogue. Not all of them of coarse, but they were able to develop them as characters, where you have a good idea of who is Pongo, or Perdy or Lucky or...that one brown dog that was never given a name. It's hardly the same as the characters in the animated version, but for what they have to work with, they pulled it off alright.
Now with all the positive stuff said, the film does suffer for not completely being like the animated film. Please understand that when I say that, I don't mean that it has to be exactly like the original movie, but it does take away some of the major elements that made the first one enjoyable - animated or no. Because with animation film, A)the animals talking isn't weird, and bring us memorable characters like The Colonel or Sargent Tibbs, B) the slapstick is bigger and thus, more fun, and C) it has a car chase that makes for an epic climax. With the live action, the characters can still be characters, but not in the same way - heck we don't ever get The Colonel or Tibbs, the slapstick will have its moments, but is otherwise kind of standard for a film written my John Hughes, and - to me, the film never really had a climax. I guess the scene with the farm is suppose to be it, but I never had that train of thought until after watching the movie, as opposed to while I was watching it. Bottom line, watching the animated version of 101 Dalmatians is not about just seeing cute puppies that makes it entertaining (though I'm sure it is for some people), it's about the animals as characters, the fun comedy, and above all, the adventure that Disney gives us with many of their movies. So in my mind's eye, this movie - by no fault of its own, is less as good because it carries the element of having cute little dogs and the general story, but not the rest of the elements that makes the previous movie so loved. So thus film shows the advantage and disadvantage of how anything is possible with animation as opposed to live action.
And that's my review for 101 Dalmatians. It had no chance of being meeting the same quality as its predecessor - mainly because of the disadvantages it has for being live-action. But for what they had to make for a non-animated version of the story, it works out alright with it sticking to the general story, and its mostly likable human cast - mainly Glenn Close as Cruella if no one else.
Rating: 60%
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