***
It's unclear what it means to our society that comic books have gone from a kid's pastime to a nerd's passion, but it is certain that any moviemaker that doesn't understand that is just asking for trouble. The makers of this film, starring Halle Berry, weren't just clueless; they put on miniskirts and f-me shoes and went for a nighttime stroll down Rue Violeur. You see, Catwoman isn't about the Catwoman. Selina Kyle exists, but in the past. This Catwoman is named Patience Phillips. She doesn't prowl the streets of Gotham, either, and Batman is never mentioned. How she becomes Catwoman -- well, that rewrites 60 years of history. No longer a woman with criminal tendencies, she is a supernatural creature with spidey powers. If you invite it, sometimes you get it. This movie got it from critics, audiences, and the box office. Yet for all that it is an enjoyable romp. Add in Halle Berry in a push-up bra and you have a movie made for the originally intended audience of comic books. What is it about? What does it matter? It's about Catwoman. A new Catwoman, one that oddly enough won't appeal to today's comic book fans, but just might appeal to those of an earlier era. With, notably, a terrific and spooky opening credits sequence.
It's unclear what it means to our society that comic books have gone from a kid's pastime to a nerd's passion, but it is certain that any moviemaker that doesn't understand that is just asking for trouble. The makers of this film, starring Halle Berry, weren't just clueless; they put on miniskirts and f-me shoes and went for a nighttime stroll down Rue Violeur. You see, Catwoman isn't about the Catwoman. Selina Kyle exists, but in the past. This Catwoman is named Patience Phillips. She doesn't prowl the streets of Gotham, either, and Batman is never mentioned. How she becomes Catwoman -- well, that rewrites 60 years of history. No longer a woman with criminal tendencies, she is a supernatural creature with spidey powers. If you invite it, sometimes you get it. This movie got it from critics, audiences, and the box office. Yet for all that it is an enjoyable romp. Add in Halle Berry in a push-up bra and you have a movie made for the originally intended audience of comic books. What is it about? What does it matter? It's about Catwoman. A new Catwoman, one that oddly enough won't appeal to today's comic book fans, but just might appeal to those of an earlier era. With, notably, a terrific and spooky opening credits sequence.