Cats out of the bag...they should have stayed in the litter box
Nearly 40 years after the hit musical debuted on Broadway, Cats hit theaters in late December and did not meet a warm welcome. Since the release of the trailer, the film has received mountains of criticism from its audience due to the disturbing appearance of its stars, which are grotesque human-cat hybrids. While the musical was a hit and ran for 18 years, the movie adaptation was nothing short of a disaster.
Set in London, Cats follows the “Jellicle cats” as they prepare for the annual “Jellicle Choice,” where one cat will be chosen to be reborn into a new life. After the controversial trailer, Cats was just what audiences envisioned; containing perplexing visuals and a weak plot but fantastic music and choreography, a mix incapable of pleasing anyone except the truly fanatical Andrew Lloyd Weber zealot.
The story begins by introducing a white cat named Victoria (Francesca Hay- ward) who is abandoned by her owner in an alley. Here, Victoria meets some of the “Jellicle cats” that live in the area, and they bring her along to meet some of the contestants for the annual “Jellicle Choice.” These contestants are chosen by Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench, Skyfall), where one cat will be reborn and begin a new, improved life. While all of this is oc- curring, the villain, Macavity (Idris Elba, Thor: Ragnarok), attempts to become the Jellicle Choice by making his competitors disappear into thin air. The film features many other well-known performers such as Jason Derulo, Taylor Swift, James Corden, Jennifer Hudson, and Rebel Wilson.
Just as expected after the unsettling trailer, the movie was more disturbing than entertaining. Much controversy began after the release of the trailer due to the characters, who are human-cat hybrids with human bodies and faces, but cat ears and tufts of fur. Their appearances rise from the uncanny valley, carrying an unnecessarily sexual design that is definitely not kid- friendly. No words can describe how unnerving it is to watch nearly-naked people, disguised as cats, dancing around. While some characters were covered by long coats and weren’t quite as terrifying, Macavity, who is covered by a coat for the majority of the movie, is the most uncomfortable to watch. He seemed to be much more naked than the others once his shearling coat was off.
Not only is the physical appearance of the cats unsettling, but the cat-like actions are also incredibly grotesque to watch. Since the characters are all supposed to be cats; they obviously walk and crawl gracefully as cats do, but they also, instead of only talking and singing, meow throughout the film. The meows, paired with the upsetting appearance of the cats, create an atmosphere that is nothing short of the macabre. Watching human-like cats meow, crawl, and rub their faces against each other is one of the most distressing experiences an audience can endure.
If the unpleasant visuals aren’t enough to keep someone from the theaters, the extremely lifeless plot may. Though a story line is present, it is incredibly hard to follow and seems nearly nonexistent. There is barely any dialogue or breaks in between songs, making the audience feel like they’re stuck on a nonstop rollercoaster of confusion. If a viewer doesn’t know the film’s exposition, it is very likely that they will spend a majority of their time trying to figure it out. Between the lack of dialogue, the plethora of made- up or confusing words, and the endless singing, Cats is just one huge mess.
The show does, however, have a few redeeming qualities. Once the audience gets past the disturbing sight of human-like cats, the choreography is quite interesting and pleasant, one of the only pleasant respites to the cat/human abomination to see on the screen. The screenplay features Francesca Hayward, a professional ballerina, as Victoria, who is a joy to watch dance on-screen, even as a human-cat crossbreed.
Like the choreography, the music is amazing as well once you get past the odd, cat-related lyrics. With popular and talented singers such as Hudson, Derulo, and Swift, the variety of interesting songs present a similar atmosphere to seeing a live Broadway musical. Though the majority of the tunes, such as “The Old Gumbie Cat” and “Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer,” are a little odd, they are also incredibly entertaining to listen to and may even become earworms for some viewers.
Cats’ disturbing visuals and poor plot were not enough to pull the film up to anything but a misstep in cinema, even with its entertaining music and choreography. Though this musical was a hit on Broadway over 20 years ago, the 2019 adaptation was anything but. It seems that times have changed and even with the extremely advanced CGI technology used today, there was no good way to present the story on the big screen. With the overabundance of criticism and discomfort from viewers everywhere, Cats will be remembered as a cinematic hairball for the new millenium.
by Caitlynn Gehl
Published January 27th, 2020
Oshkosh West Index Volume 116 Issue 4