Catwoman: Hunted

Catwoman: Hunted sets itself apart from the DC animated pack with its visually striking anime-inspired style and contagious sense of humor. With a jazzy music and fluid action scenes that put flare over gritty realism, the movie adopts a chic, international adventure tone that was greatly influenced by Lupin III and Cowboy Bebop. The comic book essence of Selina Kyle is well captured by Elizabeth Gillies's fun, hedonistic energy, and her banter with Stephanie Beatriz's Batwoman provides an interesting dynamic that demonstrates that Catwoman doesn't need Batman to tell a tale. The voice cast is uniformly strong, with standout performances from Jonathan Banks as a sleazy Black Mask and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as a commanding Cheetah. At a lean 78 minutes, the film maintains propulsive momentum through its heist-gone-wrong plot, delivering exactly the kind of lightweight, action-heavy entertainment it promises without overstaying its welcome.

However, narrative depth and consistent characterization are sacrificed in favor of the film's airy style. In essence, the storyline is a lengthy chase sequence that presents a large number of antagonists, such as Solomon Grundy, Talia al Ghul, and Cheshire, without providing them with satisfactory arcs or significant character development. Batwoman's writing is especially poor; she lacks the psychological nuance and military accuracy that distinguish the character in other media, and her characterization veers between being a capable agent and a reactive sidekick. Although visually innovative, the anime style sometimes produces startling action that defies physics, undermining both girls grounded, street-level personas. Additionally, the script's reliance on cat puns and flirtatious banter sometimes tips from charming into cringeworthy territory, and the third act rushes to resolution without adequately earning its emotional beats. While Catwoman: Hunted succeeds as a stylish diversion, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to explore the rich potential of its central pairing in a more substantive way.

Staff:

Directed by: Shinsuke Terasawa

Written by: Greg Weisman

Based on: Catwoman by Bill Finger and Bob Kane

Produced by: Ethan Spaulding and Colin A.B.V. Lewis

Starring: Elizabeth Gillies and Stephanie Beatriz

Edited by: Robert Ehrenreich

Music by: Yutaka Yamada

Production companies: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment, and OLM Team Inoue (animation services)

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Release date: February 8, 2022

Running time: 78 minutes