Revisiting Catwoman: DC’s First and Worst Villain Solo Movie
Ah, Catwoman. The purrrfect example of a villain who got her own solo movie—and boy, did it leave us all scratching our heads! Midway through the new cinematic escapade, Clayface, our antihero Matt Hagen is basking in his influencer glow by engaging in a rousing pickup basketball game. But wait, haven’t we already seen a Batman baddie shoot some hoops before? Yep, and that’s what gives us the creeps—because the last time we saw a basketball scene featuring a villain, it was in the dumpster fire known as Catwoman.
Flashback to 2004, when Halle Berry graced the screen as Patience Phillips, our not-so-fierce feline. In that infamous scene, she meets Detective Tom Lone (the dashing Benjamin Bratt) in an outdoor hoop showdown, right after her cat-like powers kick in. What can she do with these new abilities? Bounce the ball bizarrely between her hands, of course. Just one of the many cringe-worthy sequences that make us grateful that the superhero genre has made some serious strides since then.
The Development Hell
These days, villains like Joker and even Kraven the Hunter are landing their films, while a solo movie about Catwoman seems reasonable. She first clawed her way into existence back in 1940 in Batman #1, but always played second fiddle in the Bat universe. Even in the ‘90s, when she got her first solo series, the buzz was limited to comic fans. However, Michelle Pfeiffer left a sizzling mark in Batman Returns, prompting Warner Bros. to think, “Hmm… maybe Catwoman can handle her own film?”
The 2004 version kicked off production almost immediately after that flick, with Tim Burton wanting to direct, and Pfeiffer all set to reprise her role. The original script was quite quirky—Selina Kyle escaping to a resort called Oasisburg, only to discover that the male superheroes there had their toxic masculinity in overdrive. When they get too overbearing, she springs back into action as Catwoman.
But Warner Bros. had a change of heart after Batman Forever didn’t exactly hit a home run. They scrapped the scheme, and the project floundered around until it became a hot potato. All the while, Pfeiffer backed out chasing other gigs, Ashley Judd flitted in and out, and eventually, the casting spotlight landed on Halle Berry, who was eager to kickstart a franchise after her James Bond project tanked.
The Catastrophic Story
Unfortunately, even casting a star like Berry wasn’t enough to save Catwoman from its own disastrous plot. They tossed out Selina Kyle’s backstory from Batman Returns, where she transforms from a timid secretary into a fierce feline vigilante after a near-death encounter with her evil boss, played by Christopher Walken. Instead, we get a wholly different Patience Phillips, who’s just a typical artsy worker bee at Hedare Beauty with a tangled web of corporate deception and impending doom.
Patience overhears the big bad, played by Sharon Stone, discussing the secrets of her new, risky skincare line and ends up drowned by Laurel Hedare for her snooping. But wait! She’s revived by the mystical cat Midnight who gifts her with agility and killer wardrobe choices. Now in her Catwoman guise, Patience chases revenge while also struggling with her newfound powers in exquisitely form-fitting outfits.
Clash of the Catwomen
The final showdown? Catwoman takes on the dastardly Laurel, who got a case of diamond-hard skin thanks to her dodgy beauty product. Now, Laurel’s in an existential crisis after nearly defeating Catwoman, but can’t cope with the prospect of living as an “ugly duckling” and chooses the plunge. Call it campy, call it a mess, but it’s all wrapped up in questionable decisions.
A Catspaw Creation
Let’s be real here: the 2000s were riddled with comic book flicks that were buried under shoddy special effects and questionable direction, and Catwoman wasn’t even an exception. The movie, directed by Pitof, has so many visual crazes that you occasionally feel more dizzy than entertained. Take, for instance, the scene where Patience dons her suit for the first time and zooms around the city. It’s like they took every editing class possible and forgot to learn how to actually show the action coherently.
Throughout the chaos of fast cuts and odd angles, you have Berry and Stone, both giving it their all, hamming it up like they’re at a clown convention. Berry embraces her role with full gusto, while Stone channels some serious theatrical energy, but alas, Pitof and his crew didn’t pick up on the campy intentions and instead threw us a hot mess of confusion.
The Verdict
Now, I won’t toss out the claim that supervillain movies have seen their fair share of disasters since Catwoman. In fact, we’re seeing some gems popping up like Clayface and even the sometimes-adorable Venom. But let’s face it: if you want a lesson in how not to adapt a fierce female character to the big screen, just rewind back to 2004’s Catwoman. Talk about an airball! Let’s just hope that the next Catwoman—if and when she gets a second chance—yanks herself right out of development hell!