Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Girls' night out.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 6, 2022

Like last year's Batman: Soul of the Dragon, Warner Bros.' new animated film Catwoman: Hunted marks another bold stylistic departure for the studio, dropping Selina Kyle smack-dab in the middle of an international mystery with clear anime influences. Voice actor Elizabeth Gillies purrs her way through the role, reading from a mostly overstuffed script that's full of snarky one-liners meant to fill in narrative gaps while distracting from a thin plot full of admittedly great action scenes. If light and fluffy is what you're looking for, strap in and keep your expectations in check.

The adventure begins when Catwoman, dressed as herself in a throwback costume, attempts to steal the priceless Cat's Eye Emerald at a swanky superhero-themed costume party hosted by Barbara Minerva (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and also attended by none other than Black Mask (Jonathan Banks), Tobias Whale (Keith David), and a few henchmen, all part of the criminal organization known as "Leviathan" but not immune to Catwoman's considerable charms. After a daring escape at gunpoint, she and her beloved cat Isis speed off with the foes in hot pursuit, eventually getting support from Interpol agents King Faraday (Jonathan Frakes) and Julia Pennyworth (Lauren Cohan), not to mention a very reluctant Batwoman (Stephanie Beatriz). Her new running buddy will prove invaluable once Leviathan shows up... and there are more baddies where that came from, including Talia al Ghul (Zehra Fazal), Solomon Grundy (Steve Blum), and Cheetah (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), who are all more than eager to attack our heroines in quick succession.

Relatively light and breezy at just 79 minutes, Catwoman: Hunted will impress those looking for an adventure slim on story but high on action. While its action scenes are clearly well-done and pacing only falters once or twice during the adventure (perhaps most notably right around the 60-minute mark, when the initial case wraps up before an "extra innings" boss rush), our two lead characters run a fairly distant second. Elizabeth Gillies injects loads of sexuality into the role -- including lots of vocal fry, if that floats your boat -- but the overstuffed script crams way too many quips and one-liners where silence would have sufficed. Stephanie Beatriz, on the other hand, feels like an absolute misfire as Batwoman: she's endlessly sarcastic and her voice really doesn't fit the character at all, though her performance does get a bit more tolerable as it goes on. Even so, the action and light pace are enough to make this a pretty enjoyable affair, and one that offers a welcome change of pace in that it doesn't feature Batman at all.

Another feather in the film's cap is its visual approach: Catwoman: Hunted's anime style adds to the escapist factor and seems to suit the international story pretty well, too. The mostly attractive character designs, smooth line work, and hazy atmosphere all work in its favor and, while the film doesn't go all-in with speed lines and big-mouthed outbursts, it does sprinkle in a few fun embellishments here and there. The jazzy original score by composer Yutaka Yamada also adds a nice touch, instantly reminding die-hard anime fans of Cowboy Bebop even though the production shares a lot more DNA with Lupin III, a series that director Shinsuke Terasawa served on as key animator. But there's one oddity during Catwoman: Hunted that I'm still not sure was intended: dialogue syncs very poorly with mouth movements, which is either a winking, nostalgic nod to hilariously bad English dubs... or just a lazy oversight. (It's not specifically addressed during the included behind-the-scenes featurette, so your guess is as good as mine.)

As usual, Warner Bros. serves up two different home video packages depending on your setup: this 4K/Blu-ray combo pack, or a stand-alone Blu-ray edition. Both feature proportionately good A/V presentations and a few thoughtful bonus features which differ considerably from the usual slate that's usually on these types of releases.

Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While it's still technically a 2K upscale, Catwoman: Hunted's particular style lends itself to a slightly better 4K, HDR-enhanced presentation than most DCAU productions. It's true that the hazy overall appearance and still relatively flat character designs don't produce a substantial increase in overall fine detail, nor does it even display deep black levels by design. Yet this 2160p transfer appears quite a bit more refined in direct comparison, especially where gradiences and shadow details are cornered. Colors are nicely saturated with no apparent bleeding, even the most vivid hues like those at the opening costume party, bright neon lights, or Batwoman's crimson red wig, This is typically where HDR enhancement excels: not simply boosted overall levels but carefully fine-tuned highlights. Similarly, the better shadow detail and gray scale all but eliminates signs of banding, artifacts, or posterization. Perhaps the only visual speed bump remaining is the appearance of a few jagged or rough edges on certain characters which, in all likelihood, can be traced back to the original source material. Overall, it's a very nice presentation and, while not head-and-shoulders above its 1080p counterpart during certain scenes, the 4K disc remains a clear winner when and where it counts.

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the included Blu-ray disc, which is also available as a stand-alone release. For my thoughts on that disc, as well as more screenshots, please see my separate review.

Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The default DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix -- same on both discs -- offers a more traditional soundstage that suits its source material perfectly well, balancing dialogue and background effects against the jazzy original score by composer Yutaka Yamada (Tokyo Ghoul). There are ample opportunities for a wide soundstage and, while Catwoman: Hunted doesn't go for broke during all of them, highlights abound such as the bustling costume party, the resulting high-speed car chase, a mid-film skydiving trip, and of course the handful of sequential "boss rush" fights. Discrete effects are surprisingly sparing as the film aims more from a flat atmospheric experience which, while not as immediately showy to new ears, still produces a uniformly satisfying result that will keep viewers entertained from start to finish.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), and a few dubs are offered during the film and bonus features.

Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with colorful cover artwork, a matching slipcover, and a Digital Copy redemption code tucked inside. The included bonus features, while slimmer than usual (no sneak peaks or "From the Vault" episodes, etc.) are well worth watching and can be found on the Blu-ray disc only.

• When The Hunter Becomes The Hunted (18:57) - This mid-length featurette touches on the collection of Rogues' Gallery villains featured in this story, which include lesser-known faces like Black Mask, Tobias Whale, Cheshire, Nosferata, Solomon Grundy, Talia al Ghul, and Cheetah... but it mostly concerns Catwoman herself, which includes her manipulative behavior, physicality, and relationship with Batwoman. Participants include famed writer Jeph Loeb, writer James Tynion IV, executive producer Michael Uslan, writer/artist Joëlle Jones, writer Greg Weisman, producer Ethan Spaulding, and casting/voice director Jamie Thomason.

• Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale (39:52) - Directed by Constantine Nasr, this light but enjoyable 2021 documentary -- narrated by voice actress Tara Strong -- digs much deeper into Catwoman's history through her appearances in comics, movies, and TV shows, revealing a character who has changed greatly through the years. A broad range of first and second-hand participants are on hand to share their own thoughts (some via archival interviews) including Batman Returns producer Michael Uslan, creator Bob Kane, painter Alex Ross, writer Jeph Loeb, former DC president Paul Levitz, actress Eartha Kitt, author Suzan Colón, writer Frank Miller, former DC co-publisher Dan Didio, actress Julie Newmar, actor Adam West, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, and many more.

Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Catwoman: Hunted is a well-intentioned adventure for one of DC's strongest Batman supporting characters and, while it's certainly enjoyable in spots, the total package is something of a mixed bag. This is a featherweight affair padded with lots of quippy one-liners, most of which feel like cheap substitutes for better visual storytelling... and if you're not all-in on her friendly rivalry with Batwoman, the 79-minute running time might feel a bit longer. Even so, its numerous action scenes are very well-done and the art direction is better than usual. Warner Bros.' 4K combo pack supports the film nicely with a solid A/V presentation and two solid bonus featurettes. Recommended to fans.