HOLLYWOOD─There are some movies that are just so bad, you cannot wrap your mind around how the movie got made in the first place. It happens quite often in Hollywood, where an idea for a TV show or in this case a musical, gets the big screen adaption and it just crashes and burns royally. In this case, I’m referring to the Broadway musical “Cats.”
Yes the iconic musical has finally hit the big screen and it has a host of big time names behind it, but they cannot save this movie even if they tried. Let’s point out the first problem: it’s the visuals. I mean who thought seeing real-life people dressed and donned in makeup to looks like actual cats would be appealing on the big screen?
It’s like a clash between real-life people and visuals that just do not mesh, no matter how hard the filmmakers tried to make it happen. “Cats” has some of the worst digital effects I’ve ever seen in a movie in my 30 plus years of life. I mean when you have a scene in the movie where the great Judi Dench’s hand with her ring on it can be seen, but her character is supposed to be a cat, you have a major problem.
That tells me all I need to know about “Cats,” the movie was rushed to be completed to be considered for awards consideration. NOTE TO HOLLYWOOD: if a movie is not ready, if it is not polished, do not release that movie, until every nook and cranny has been examined to its fullest possibility.
The plot at best is really difficult to follow, but the best way I can describe it is a bunch of cats hoping for a better life compete in a singing competition. They live on the streets and they fight to survive day after day, you have good cats, you have bad cats, but music seems to be the thing that brings them all together.
“Cats” is not lacking in the acting department with Oscar-winners like Judi Dench and Jennifer Hudson part of the cast. In addition, you have James Corden, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen and Rebel Wilson in the musical. The names of these cats are so silly and I mean silly I’m not even going to take the time to introduce them. The standout for me has to be newcomer Francesca Hayward who shines in her debut role.
There are some fun songs in the movie, but those songs get completely lost by the narrative that is way too loose and not as neat as it should be with this caliber of actors and actresses. This musical is NOT going to be remembered for its music, which is what any great musical should do, it’s going to be remembered for the terrible visual effects that distracted the spectator so much they couldn’t focus on anything else taking place in the movie.
