REVIEW: Catwoman: Hunted (2022). Worth Hunting Down
Catwoman: Hunted is a great movie for fans. It’s Catwoman/Selina’s first feature animated movie and the third DC animation anime. Catwoman: Hunted isn’t just about novelty.
The film’s title sequence is beautiful and looks like a mix of watercolour animation and crayons. It’s set to a jazzy, fast-paced score that only makes it more enjoyable. Hunted’s real story, which takes us to a retro-styled anime style but is crisp and simple, starts at a Spanish mansion where Selina (Elizabeth Gillies) attends a masquerade in which partygoers dress up as heroes and villains from DC Universe.
Black Mask (Jonathan Banks) is also at the party, exchanging an emerald for entry into the global organized crime syndicate “Leviathan.” It’s a rare and valuable emerald that the Cat wants to see. Selina, the master thief, manages to get into the safe at the mansion to steal the emerald. But an alarm goes off, and she must make her escape.
The first of many delightfully energetic action sequences is the escape. It begins with a foot chase through Selina’s mansion, followed by a car chase down narrow canyon roads and streets below. These set-pieces remind me of the intense, if not manic, the energy that Catwoman: Hunted takes from the Lupin III action sequences. This is both because Catwoman: Hunted is an anime about a master thief who travels the world and is directed by someone who previously worked on Lupin projects. The fight sequences are entertaining but not boring or meaningless. We know that our heroes will win, but it’s still exciting to see.
There are many fight sequences. Selina, who steals Leviathan’s money, becomes a target for the organization trying to make an example out of her. They aren’t alone in their pursuit of Catwoman. Batwoman (Stephanie Beatriz) and two Interpol agents are looking to recruit Selina to eliminate Leviathan by using her to be bait. This setup allows for many fights during the film’s short runtime of fewer than 80 minutes.
Catwoman and Batwoman battle various DC villains, including A-listers such as Cheetah/Barbara Minerva and C-listers such as Cheshire/Jade Nguyen. Many foes look great in anime and may have been added for that reason. Moxie Mannheim’s men wear mech suits, and La Dama summons demons in style similar to those seen in Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho.
Also, the film makes great use of Catwoman/Batwoman as a couple. The two banter throughout, with several funny if not entirely original jokes about cat and bat shticks/motifs/tropes (all the characters’ words). Their action scenes together are also turned into moments of joyful camaraderie, and one has them recreate Legolas and Gimli’s point-per-enemy-eliminated game from The Lord of the Rings as they take down a horde of ninjas. Selina uses her attractiveness to get Kate to relax early on in the film. This allows the sexual tension to begin at a high level and continue throughout the film. Gillies does an amazing job making every line sound playful, playful and horny in all her scenes with Kate and the others.
Selina’s excessive dependence on her quipping and an unneeded subplot about human trafficking, which takes place completely offscreen and has a few passing references throughout, are the only real flaws. These are minor quibbles in a film that is so great and so fun. Although it’s not transcendent art, it’s one of the most enjoyable DC animated movies.
