A unique and stylized vision, Catwoman: Hunted will be sure to entertain fans of this anti-hero femme fatale in DC's newest animated feature!
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided us with a free copy of this Blu-ray/DVD that we reviewed in this blog post. The opinions we share are our own.
“Crime never looked so good! Catwoman, a.k.a. Selina Kyle, has no qualms about risking her nine lives when a prize like the world’s most valuable emerald is the reward. But with Batwoman and Interpol maneuvering to spoil her fun, she must tread lightly. Complicating this game of cat and mouse are the global crime juggernaut Leviathan, deadly assassins, and a trail of twists and turns that may just trip up this nefarious feline. Suit up and steal a moment with this all-new anime-style DC movie!”
Warner Bros. and DC Animated Films presents adds another unique tale of characters from the DC Universe including Catwoman, Batwoman, Cheetah, and many more, in this film of intrigue, suspense, and adrenaline filled battles.
What you may notice first and foremost is the animation style, which is unlike anything WB and DC have done before, to my knowledge anyway. Directed by Shinsuke Terasawa, this film utilizes anime-style animation, you know, the big-eyed females with accentuated figures. It takes a bit to get used to, as the style isn’t consistent with all characters, for example, many of the main villains, namely men, all have relatively normal (Batman animated) looks, save for King Faraday, who has just as big of eyes as all the female characters. You may enjoy it, you may not, but what’s most impressive to me is the free reign that WB and DC give the animators to explore a new style of storytelling in the animated universe. Films like this, Batman: Soul of the Dragon, and Gotham by Gaslight really show just how open the studio is in trying new things, exploring source material outside the norm, and one of the reasons I believe they’ve cornered the superhero animated market from rival studios. For myself, I enjoyed this anime-style animation for the most part. There are some great uses of the style in framing the shots, and if you’ve ever watched an anime-style film before, you’ll recognize the style instantly. The only pause I had in the entire film in regards to the style was the stark contrast of the look of Batwoman with her mask and without. She looks like any stock anime cartoon girl, but thankfully we’re only subjected to it for a brief time before she dons the cowl and continues on her path of righteousness.
The story itself flows very naturally. From the start, it has a ‘70s heist feel. The jazz music, the masquerade ball and subsequent jewel robbery, give this anti-hero a nice introduction as she takes advantage of and eludes the capture of the evil Leviathan group. Her plan is thwarted by Batwoman, who recruits her to track down the organization so she and Interpol can take them down. While I’m more used to the sexual tension and tumultuous relationship between Catwoman and Batman, they take this relationship to some pretty interesting places as well. They’re a good team, and the pivotal fight sequence against Cheshire and Nosferata shows not only this team-up in action, but some very impressive animated-action sequences that continue on to a major confrontation. Anyone familiar with the DCU will recognize the name of Lady Barbara Minerva, aka Cheetah, and seeing this character, as well as all the other cat/bat related characters thrown in, makes for some cool fight sequences, all centered around strong female protagonists and antagonists.
My biggest complaint structurally about the film is the lack of clear motivation for Leviathan. They continually mention some event or member of their group that has given them a set-back, but never really explain what that is, or what their end goal is going to be. Black Mask has just joined the ranks by offering up a priceless emerald, but we don’t see the group carrying out any type of organized crime or even a well-thought-out plan. This story seems like it should almost be a middle part to a three-part story, explaining why Black Mask is joining, then what their end game is after learning of the true head of Leviathan.
Video
Catwoman: Hunted is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High-Definition Widescreen 1.78:1. This 4k release features HDR10, and like all the other DC Animated films released in 4k, has a gorgeous look to it. While you may balk at any true difference in 4k and HD for animated films, it’s the vividness and brightness of the colors and the deep blacks of the drawn lines of the characters that make these look so pleasing to the eye.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and boasts an impressive mix that highlights the best qualities of the track. Dialogue is clear and concise from the center channel, mixed perfectly with the surrounds that present the majority of the atmospheric effects, really ramping up during the action sequences that entirely immerse you in the action. The score is fairly diverse, as I mentioned before, with a cool jazzy-heist feel, but also giving us some more standard action musical sequences for the ending battle scenes.
Special Features
Extras are located on the Blu-ray disc, worth taking a look at if you’re a fan of DC characters and Catwoman in particular, with an almost 40-minute featurette on the history of the character.
- Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale
- When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted
Catwoman: Hunted isn’t the typical DC Animated film, and because of that, it offers a unique look at these characters and provides a thrilling and entertaining ride from start to finish. Although the animation style may not appeal to some, the fact that DC and its filmmakers are able to artistically explore different ways to entertain us instead of the traditional normal makes this a thumbs up in my book. It’s a great addition to the DC Animated Universe, worth picking up and adding to your collection. This one is out now on 4k UHD, Blu-ray, and Digital.
