Catwoman: Hunted unfortunately is not the film Catwoman deserves. It soars with animation and action but falls when it comes to villains and story.
Catwoman: Hunted starts as it should, with Selina stealing a valuable item. The first 10 minutes had significant buildup and some solid execution, giving us the sense of who this Selina is. After she makes her grand escape, this ride gets bumpy. This film has the action take the focus, which isn’t inherently a bad thing.
Unfortunately, there isn’t enough story to justify all the violence. When one fight ends, it feels like we are jumping to the next one. Comic Book films have action sequences, and most of the time, there is a purpose behind them. That purpose adds weight, and here they try to add meaning to why it’s happening, but it doesn’t land for the most part.
Before it comes across as me hating Catwoman: Hunted, which I don’t. Here are some of my highlights of the film. We are following a very likable Catwoman, and the co-lead Batwoman is also an excellent addition. Their banter and conversations add to what works for this film. Small references also add to the backstory of these characters, and some of the action was fun and engaging. The action scenes will determine if this film is worth rewatching for some.
This film has style, with the anime art style as its influence, and the soundtrack adds a specific tone to it. Music is essential, and the jazzy style works well. Also, another surprise was the locations this film takes place. We don’t see Gotham, and honestly, it was a nice change of pace for a Batman-related project. The art style works for me, and I applaud Warner Bros. when they go in a different direction with their DC films’ animation.
Getting to the story of Catwoman: Hunted, it doesn’t work for me mainly. Certain aspects worked for me, like Catwoman stealing the valuable item at the beginning and Black Mask’s involvement in the story. However, it falls flat in the participation of many villains that added nothing to the narrative except being on screen. I won’t mention them, but you will see what I mean when seeing the film.
Was it awesome to see they were there? Sure, but if it doesn’t make sense to the story, then they shouldn’t be there. Having Julia Pennyworth and King Faraday show up demanding Selina follow orders or else just felt out of place. I wanted to care about the story they were trying to tell, but unfortunately, I wasn’t as invested in it as I wanted to be. I needed more of a balance of story and action, and sadly that isn’t here.
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The voice cast is another highlight for me, as the voice talent adds depth to the characters. Elizabeth Gillies voicing Catwoman was a great choice. Her voice brings out this clever and personality driven Selina Kyle. It elevated the film because of her performance, and I can’t forget Stephanie Beatriz as Batwoman. Her voice portraying Kate Kane added some hardened edge to her and made me want to learn more about her version of Batwoman. Catwoman: Hunted also has other excellent voice talents with Jonathan Banks, Kelly Hu, Keith David, and more delivering outstanding performances.
I wanted to love this film, but too many things just didn’t hit my expectations. Catwoman: Hunted soars with animation, voice cast, and specific action scenes. The lack of story, relying too much on action, and too many villains bring it down to a solid film. Catwoman deserves a better movie than what we got here, and hopefully, we can get that down the road at some point.
Rating: 3 out of 5
About Catwoman: Hunted
In the all-new original Catwoman: Hunted, Catwoman’s attempt to steal a priceless jewel puts her squarely in the crosshairs of both a powerful consortium of villains and the ever-resourceful Interpol, not to mention Batwoman. It might just be enough to contain her. Or not.
Available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray and Digital on February 8, 2022.
