Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 20, 2019
5.2
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Mixed or average reviews based on 570 Ratings
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Positive:
275
Mixed:
34
Negative:
261
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6
JackieB94Dec 25, 2019
I love cats the musical. I gave it a high score cause the cast was perfect. The music was great the numbers were good but! If I see another sleeve of awkward animated moment where u can tell it’s fake! I will scream oh god picture wise it wasI love cats the musical. I gave it a high score cause the cast was perfect. The music was great the numbers were good but! If I see another sleeve of awkward animated moment where u can tell it’s fake! I will scream oh god picture wise it was terrible. It’s so bad you watch it to laugh or to look for the bad animation moments one can’t even focus on the actors or story line cause ur focused on why the fur and body are going the opposite way of the character lol. Definitely not a must see but you will get emotional with Jennifer Hudson and amazing voice! Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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5
Rosalia_the_PigDec 25, 2019
The CGI is off-putting as is the menacing tone of much of the movie, but the latter at least has a basis in the Broadway musical. Ian McKellen’s part was outstanding, everyone I went with agreed it was the best part. The choreography couldThe CGI is off-putting as is the menacing tone of much of the movie, but the latter at least has a basis in the Broadway musical. Ian McKellen’s part was outstanding, everyone I went with agreed it was the best part. The choreography could have been better, but was done no favors by the editing. All in all, it’s not as bad as critics are making it out to be. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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6
spongeswiftDec 20, 2019
Cats is not as bad as the critics say it is, but it has obvious issues. While yes in the beginning I did not think this thing was gonna go well, I was at the verge of tears because of how much laughter I was trying to hold back when I firstCats is not as bad as the critics say it is, but it has obvious issues. While yes in the beginning I did not think this thing was gonna go well, I was at the verge of tears because of how much laughter I was trying to hold back when I first saw the CGI fur. Every actor in this movie thought they were in a different movie. Jennifer Hudson/Francesca Hayward played it too seriously while Rebel Wilson/James Corden were just too comedic and light hearted. While the first two I mentioned did great, the ladder not so much. Rebel Wilson's song was so humiliating and overly sexual that I was laughing AT the film. The mice were so creepy and the roaches were revolting. James Corden did ok but his comedy was a little bit off. Idris Elba was very strong and seemed like an effective "villain." Just leave on the coat Macavity. Taylor Swift had the best performance of the movie visually. Her song was dazzling and so visually pleasing. Her light British accent was nice and her voice was angelic yet strong. I just think that her and Macavity lacked chemistry, Their relationship (maybe???) should've been explored much more. Memory was so vocally amazing and JHud was a powerhouse. Francesca Hayward's Beautiful Ghosts (Taylor Swift penned) was well "beautiful" and helped furthered the story better than any song in the film. Overall this film was solid but character development was sparse and some of the cats were severely under used (Taylor Swift.) Expand
5 of 6 users found this helpful51
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4
GreatMartinDec 20, 2019
T. S. Eliot had written a book of verses regarding cats and wrote his publisher the following:
"....there might be a part that children wouldn’t like and part that adults wouldn’t like and part that nobody would like. The mise-en-scène may
T. S. Eliot had written a book of verses regarding cats and wrote his publisher the following:
"....there might be a part that children wouldn’t like and part that adults wouldn’t like and part that nobody would like. The mise-en-scène may not please. There seem to be many more ways of going wrong than of going right (to Geoffrey Faber, 6 March 1936) "Cats", the Broadway musical, ran for 18 years and 7,485 performances opening in 1982. The previous year it opened London and now, 83 years later, it is on the silver screen. (Do people still call it that?)

The first time I saw it on stage I went to the Winter Garden theatre and was interested how they changed the whole theatre into an alley and additionally sparked my interest when you could see the 'cats' roam all over including the back of customer's seats. I didn't really pay attention to the story because there really wasn't any but watching the actors being cats was a joy of its own. It was more of an audition for some individual cats of which one would be chosen for the 'Heaviside Layer' and come back to a new life.

The musical score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, using the verses of T.S.Eliot plus some help from Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe, giving the world the song "Memory".

Many people hated the show but more, specifically parents, their kids and tourists loved the show eventually making billions of dollars.

The movie opened this week and will, too, have some loving it and others hating it but I think the latter will win. I don't fall into either category as I didn't feel one way or the other. Being a huge Jennifer Hudson fan I was anxious to hear/see her deliver "Memory" and she more than makes the song her own. Judi Dench, who was to be in the original production but who had to leave due to a Archilles tendon snapping a week before the show was to open, is here to decide who will go to the Heaviside Layer and Ian McKellen as Asaragus, Gus for short, is a once famous actor and now is old, has cerebral palsy and hopes to 'win' the chance for a new life.

Various other cats are played by Idris Elba, Rebel Wilson and James Cordon while Francesca Hayward makes her film debut as Victoria a new cat abandoned by her human owners. There is also an excellent ensemble of professional dancers, many from the Royal Ballet, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler.

The cat 'outfits' along with the disconcerting CGI effects and the direction by Tom Hopper lacks the charm of the stage productions. Though I am glad I went to see this version of "Cats" I won't recommend it as it is one of the many of less successful Broadway to Hollywood musicals.

The movie runs an hour and 50 minutes and is rated R but I didn't hear/see anything that would be offensive for young kids who would probably get involved watched the cats.
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3 of 6 users found this helpful33
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4
SrPepeApr 1, 2020
Yo creo que es una película muy innecesaria e incómoda, pero los efectos y la escenografía están muy bien logrados. El plot es bastante confuso y la canción del final es malísima.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
frederik1478Oct 25, 2020
A Movie best enjoyed drunk, I watch this with my musical liking friend And after we have A glass of wine we begin to enjoy spectacular. Even if I would say that the only reason I got food this movie is because of Alcohol and friendship
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
cag345Jan 12, 2020
Cats is far from being a good movie. But I have seen worse film disasters in recent years. Let's put aside the terrible CGI and the ridiculous occurrences of the director for generating this kind of hybrid between humans and cats, to reallyCats is far from being a good movie. But I have seen worse film disasters in recent years. Let's put aside the terrible CGI and the ridiculous occurrences of the director for generating this kind of hybrid between humans and cats, to really focus on the history of these cats that sing and dance, hoping to be reborn into a new life.

If I am honest, I have never had contact or seen the different theatrical productions of Cats, but watching this movie, I have a vague idea, that there is not enough plot here to actually support having made a movie about... just this. I suppose that seeing her in theater will be a completely different experience and that everything that is around us can marvel over the bland idea that exists under this story. However, Hopper gives us a sterile story, too elaborate-over-thought (although with poor and poor CGI) and excessively boring. I understand that it is a musical, but it is almost 105 minutes of continuous music, where there is no memorable song (except for Memories and the new song composed by Swift). The miserables, La-la land or even the greatest showman are just few examples taht shows the right equilibrium. There is nothing that allows us to fall in love with Cats or at least let her into our hearts. Hopper was perhaps not the best idea to direct this production, it would have been better never to have done it or at least with a more ambitious director. And yet, not everything is so bad. There are actors who give themselves completely to their characters. Dench, Elba and McKellen on the one hand are great in their roles, but our protagonist is not at the acting or vocal level of any of his co-stars and it is somewhat painful to see her try hard without achieving it. Well, she is still better than Wilson and Corden, especially Corden who is pathetic while laughing at his weight (Was that really the only reason to have him in the cast?). The choreographies are fine but the CGI makes them look fake and too digitized, obscuring the cast effort. The direction of photography and production are of the highest quality, being the best of the film. Cats will be a dark chapter in the history of Hopper and perhaps he will teach some humility to this Oscar winner who had been giving hits but gradually losing his brightness presented in the past decade, when he gave us HBO productions of first category. However, I don't think it's so bad to be the next winner of the Razzie awards, that this year has worse contenders than this forgettable version of the movie.
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4
Compi24Dec 26, 2019
Not since "Movie 43" can I recall such a perfect storm of bad ideas sweeping up so much genuine talent in its awkward, jittery wake. I would say that "Cats" is a colossal swing and a miss, but it evokes more images of darts than it doesNot since "Movie 43" can I recall such a perfect storm of bad ideas sweeping up so much genuine talent in its awkward, jittery wake. I would say that "Cats" is a colossal swing and a miss, but it evokes more images of darts than it does baseball. Images of someone playing darts with a spear and a dartboard the size of a dime, that is. Plotless, uncomfortable, and just plain unholy-looking, this not only marks a dark day in the filmographies of everyone involved, but a sour, ominous capstone atop the 2019 cinematic landscape. Not really a hot take here, but I think people would be better off avoiding this one. Expand
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4
JLuis_001Dec 28, 2019
Theatrical plays or musicals will not always translate well into filmic language, that's well known and will not change, because both media are very different by nature. To question it is to deceive yourself.

Personally I've never believed
Theatrical plays or musicals will not always translate well into filmic language, that's well known and will not change, because both media are very different by nature. To question it is to deceive yourself.

Personally I've never believed that Cats is a great musical but perhaps its success says something else but even so a film adaptation in my view just could not work. I didn't see how, especially considering the costumes but it was being made so the question now was how it was going to look.

I know there's already a ''movie'' but that's basically a recording of the play.

Then the trailers appeared and what they showed looked weird, off putting and scary, but the visual work is not always everything in a movie, yet something decisive was being played there.
Eventually the defeat was inevitable.

Cats is full of good intentions but it's a failure, not only because of the terrible CGI work and how it makes you feel but because it never manages to immerse you in the world of the story and is a bizarre world and I can have fun in bizarre worlds, it's only that this one is pretty misguided.

I don't think it's that huge fiasco that a lot of film critics are saying it is and maybe eventually will find its niche and audience, after all worse films have become cults films, so that can surely happen but right now Cats is simply an idea that didn't work, that it wasn't well executed or directed and that although it's not a monumental catastrophe, it's indeed a gigantic disappointment.
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6
KrzystofJan 1, 2020
ALWebber's Cats was a hugely popular stage show on the West End, Broadway, and around the world. The core of this movie is based on that musical performance, and it's songs. This leaves a film with a lot of signing and dancing, a lacklustreALWebber's Cats was a hugely popular stage show on the West End, Broadway, and around the world. The core of this movie is based on that musical performance, and it's songs. This leaves a film with a lot of signing and dancing, a lacklustre plot and limited dialogue, as the movie crams a longish stage show into a film length, but forced to retain all of the songs some of which feel a little dated now. A few performers here were a little monotone, like Dench and Hudson, and McKellen was perhaps to croaky for a singing part, but mostly the music respected the original.

Many people found the sexy CGI to be a off-putting but I was quite impressed by the effort, I just found the 5-fingers to be out of place on a cat's paw. Moreso, the costumes seemed ridiculous for a feline to be wearing, and thick fur overcoats and scarves, really distasteful for these Jellicle cats - why??
Dench looked more like Oz's Cowardly Lion than a cat, that was a real failure, but most of the cast looked terrific.
Overall it was enjoyable and a fresh update on the old stage version, for a new audience.
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4
LottieSharpeDec 21, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie lacked substance. I've seen the stage production a number of times and i was disappointed with the film. While it was easier to "follow" it lacked the punch. Jennifer Hudaon was fab, and the main was a solid intro. A shame, as we were very excited to see the film and introduce the play to my 7byear old daughter. Expand
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6
filmfanatic89Dec 26, 2019
I understand why it is receiving so much bashing because, yes it is weird, BUT! When you look at from a choreographic and musical lens rather than an actual film, you can appreciate the beauty of it. I especially appreciate the little addedI understand why it is receiving so much bashing because, yes it is weird, BUT! When you look at from a choreographic and musical lens rather than an actual film, you can appreciate the beauty of it. I especially appreciate the little added details To create a more distinct plot, which I believe was much needed on account of how hard it is for the major society to grasp the plot in the original Broadway musical. Choreography deserves an B
Vocals: B and I think for people who loved the musical, they
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6
sferreiraleoDec 29, 2019
The problem with this movie are the visual effects. What makes it worse is that without the visual effects, the movie is nonexistent.
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4
cheetahsiriMay 18, 2020
Cats is a movie that many people are surprised when they see Visual effects in the first teaser.In the status of people watching movies. Is this movie good? For me it's ok.The movie is full of annoying music and dancing. I can't find theCats is a movie that many people are surprised when they see Visual effects in the first teaser.In the status of people watching movies. Is this movie good? For me it's ok.The movie is full of annoying music and dancing. I can't find the purpose of the movie But in the midst of disadvantages .There are still impressive pictures, music and performances. Expand
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6
clbullNov 17, 2020
This movie is far from a purrfect adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical. But at the same time it was watchable.

Soundtrack was a mixed bag. Some hit songs like Magical Mr Mistoffelees, The Old Gumbie Cat and The Rum Tum Tugger were
This movie is far from a purrfect adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical. But at the same time it was watchable.

Soundtrack was a mixed bag. Some hit songs like Magical Mr Mistoffelees, The Old Gumbie Cat and The Rum Tum Tugger were butchered. Others like Skimbleshanks and Jellicle Songs were certified bops that surpassed the original musical.

The cast was good for the most part, albeit with some miscasts. Rebel Wilson was horrible, Jason Derulo was vocally weak and Taylor Swift only got five minutes of screen time as Bombularina which is a shame because she was a major part of the musical. Yet at the same time, Judi Dench was spot-on as Old Deuteronomy, Ian McKellen was great as Gus, Francesca Hayward was good as Victoria and Robert Fairchild was the best portrayal of Munkustrap. Even James Corden's portrayal of Bustopher Jones was good and I freaking hate that guy.

The set design is an absolute spectacle to behold, but is sadly the only good part about the movie's CGI. Characters look like humanoid cats with faces imposed on them in an uncanny-valley kind of way.

This leads to the worst part of the film... The Old Gumbie Cat, where the movie straight-up introduces you to CGI anthropomorphic mice/human and cockroach/human hybrids. It's like crap straight out of a horror movie.

Overall, Cats could have been so much better, but it also could have been so much worse.

This is one of those rare "so bad it's good" films, that you need to be sufficiently drunk or stoned to experience.
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4
LuissDtApr 13, 2022
Cats is terrible but it managed to come out with a mixed review, many things were wasted a lot but some performances and the music make it horrible
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