Catwoman Review

by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)
August 6th, 2004

Catwoman – Leather and Grace
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004

It's hard to resist the guilty pleasure that comes with watching a woman like Halle Berry inhabit the role of a leather-clad, whip-flailing, high-heel strutting, hip-shaking night prowler. It's like watching a titillating production of a Victoria's Secret television commercial. Yes, if you've got it, flaunt it. That in of itself gives this a passing grade.
Oh, but have I forgotten to talk about the film itself? Well, it's not hard to see that "Catwoman" is certainly not all that it or Halle Berry could have been. If there were one scene that exemplified how some might find this offering goofy, you would only need to point to the sequence with the malfunctioning Ferris Wheel. It's a symbol of how many of the points of the film seem forced and flawed.

Halle Berry stars as Patience Phillips, a somewhat meek advertising artist who never really summons up the courage to say what's really on her mind. Instead, she kowtows to her overbearing and obnoxious boss (Lambert Wilson). She can't quite find the right things to say when she chances upon the handsome detective, Tom Lone (Benjamin Bratt). Her only link to normalcy is her boon friendship with the sympathetic but funny Janeane Garofalo-type Sally (Alex Borstein).

These elements are the beginnings of droll comedy. Images of
little-lost-girl-grows-up-to-be-mighty-woman begin to immediately take shape. But, you probably can't envision how Patience turns from a mewing mess to a meowing dominatrix. It's just a little too extreme, and thus as our heroine undergoes a study in duality, so too does the film as it tries to be simultaneously hip and dark while trying to retain its soft side. The mixture is rough, and it should've chosen a more dedicated route to tell the story of Catwoman.
Sometimes, the effort misfires. The love story that eventually emerges seems out of place. To maintain the mystery, perhaps a mutual admiration would have worked better. Sometimes, the effort is timid. Let's just say that if Catwoman is going to make love, let the film enjoy an R rating to really explore the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in our heroine. Often, the result works admirably. When the sun goes down and the focus is on the Catwoman, there is feeling of edgy coolness and MTV chic.

Despite it's drawbacks, I liked "Catwoman" more than not. In particular, I credit it for its marvelous look. The terrific set decorations and the background art gives this a grunge-meets-Andy Warhol-meets martini lounge look. Of course, a nod must go to the costume designer too. Although you may not be charmed with what you hear on screen, you'll certainly be attracted to what you see on screen.

If they could go back in time and revisit the original storyboard, I would probably prefer that a film like this follow the structure of a film like "Blade". That one remains dedicated to its environment and it's all about hurting the enemy. This film tries to be more multi-faceted with its romance, its statement of the nature of woman, and it's summer-type action. It doesn't quite get it right. Consequently, it is more appealing than, say, "Daredevil." But, it's not quite as fun as "Blade" or "Hellboy". Grade: B-

S: 1 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3

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