History Film / Catwoman

->''"Me-Ouch"''
-->--The headline of [[http://www.villagevoice.com/film/me-ouch-6406435 the Village Voice review]]

* DrinkOrder: Catwoman orders a White Russian without ice, vodka, or Kahlua. The bartender gives her a glass of cream. Did we mention that Catwoman is basically a cat?

* InNameOnly: Given that the main character isn't even Selena Kyle, you kinda have to expect this trope to be in play. The movie makes a few references to previous Catwoman incarnations - notably the scene in ''Film/BatmanReturns'' where Selena is brought back to life after being killed by Schreck, but otherwise this movie goes off on its own track and bears little resemblance to the [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} comics version of Catwoman]]. Other than the main character being a cat-themed anti-heroine who dresses in black leather and wields a whip, there's no resemblance. If you keep that in mind you'll enjoy this movie a lot more.

* InNameOnly: Given that the main character isn't even Selena Kyle, you kinda have to expect this trope to be in play. Go read a ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'' comic. '''Any''' ''Catwoman'' comic. Then compare it to this movie. Other than the main character being a cat-themed anti-heroine who dresses in black leather and wields a whip, there's no resemblance. If you keep that in mind you'll enjoy this movie a lot more.
** The only thing they do keep is the "licked back to life with kitty powers by magic cats" aspect of Selina's origin in ''Film/BatmanReturns,'' which was a BigLippedAlligatorMoment in ''that'' film that's not in any other retelling of her origin. On top of that, it's been noted that in ''that'' film, Selina might be wrong about all that - she's ''not'' super agile when first resurrected, and the injuries she suffers - including her original "death" - were not unsurvivable. In ''this'' film it's played dead straight.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Catwoman_poster.jpg]]

Patience Phillips (played by Creator/HalleBerry), is a shy secretary with few friends who works at the Hedare cosmetics company; she is killed by her boss' scheming wife Laurel after she learns that the company is developing an anti-aging cream that gives incredibly results but comes with '''severe''' side effects - and is highly addictive to boot.

* BrokenAesop: The film pushes a GirlPower theme while having Patience run around almost half naked in her leather cat costume and having her movements be as suggestive as possible.

Patience Phillips (played by Creator/HalleBerry), is a shy secretary with few friends who works at the Hedare cosmetics company; she is killed by her boss' scheming wife Laurel after she learns that the company is developing an anti-aging cream that gives incredibly results but comes with '''severe''' side effects - and is highly addictive to boot. Patience is subsequently brought back to life and given special, cat-like abilities by Midnight, an Egyptian Mau she earlier encountered and attempted to rescue even though it didn't actually need any rescuing. Now she must remember who killed her, find out why, stop their evil schemes, and come to terms with the changes brought on by her abilities, and use them for good rather than exploiting their potential for evil.

A 2004 superhero film. Perhaps the name of the film was the worst choice of all, because people were drawn in thinking they would see a movie about THE Catwoman from DC comics, and saw a Selina Kyle {{Expy}} gain cat powers because the character and plot has nothing to do with the DC Universe.

A 2004 superhero film. Perhaps the name of the film was the worst choice of all, because people were drawn in thinking they would see a movie about THE Catwoman from DC comics, and saw a Selina Kyle {{Expy}} gain cat powers because the movie has nothing to do with the DC Universe.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat, it is [[InNameOnly loosely]] based on the Creator/DCComics character ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}.

Patience Phillips (played by Creator/HalleBerry), is a shy secretary with few friends who works at the Hedare cosmetics company; she is killed by her boss' scheming wife Laurel after she learns that the company is developing an anti-aging cream that gives incredibly results but comes with '''severe''' side effects - and is highly addictive to boot. Patience is subsequently brought back to life and given special, cat-like abilities by Midnight, an Egyptian Mau she earlier encountered and attempted to rescue even though it didn't actually need any rescuing. Now she must remember who killed her, find out why, stop their evil schemes, and come to terms with the changes brought on by her abilities, and use them for good rather than exploiting their potential for evil.

* InNameOnly: Given that the main character isn't even Selena Kyle, you kinda have to expect this trope to be in play. Go read a ''ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}'' comic. '''Any''' ''Catwoman'' comic. Then compare it to this movie. Other than the main character being a cat-themed anti-heroine who dresses in black leather and wields a whip, there's no resemblance. If you keep that in mind you'll enjoy this movie a lot more.
** The only thing they do keep is the "licked back to life with kitty powers by magic cats" aspect of Selina's origin in ''Film/BatmanReturns,'' which was a BigLippedAlligatorMoment in ''that'' film that's not in any other retelling of her origin. On top of that, it's been noted that in ''that'' film, Selina might be wrong about all that - she's ''not'' super agile when first resurrected, and the injuries she suffers - including her original "death" - were not unsurvivable. In ''this'' film it's played dead straight.

* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Laurel is blonde and evil as they come.
* YourCheatingHeart: George Hedare is shown having a mistress, which his wife already knows about.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat, it is loosely based on the Creator/DCComics character ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}.

* AntiHero: Catwoman. Though a hero, she's got no compunctions about roughing up her targets.

* AtTheOperaTonight: George Hedare takes his mistress to a Creator/CirqueDuSoleil-style performance; After the latter gets bored and leaves, Catwoman takes her place and confronts him. When the security officers confronts Catwoman, she jumps off the balcony and on to the stage, then scrambles up the back wall; the audience of course, think this is AllPartOfTheShow.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat, it is loosely based on the comic book character, ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Catwoman_poster.jpg]]

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat. Regardless of the name of the film, this movie has a similar relationship to the ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} you know and care about that spray cheese has with actual food.

* AtTheOperaTonight: George Hedare takes his mistress to a Creator/CirqueDuSoleil-style performance; After the latter gets bored and leaves, Catwoman takes her place and confronts him. When the security officers confronts Catwoman, she jumps off the balcony and on to the stage, then scrambles up the back wall; the audience of course, think this is [[AllPartOfTheShow all part of the show]].

* ConspicuousCGI: All over the place, particularly with Catwoman and various aerial shots of the cityscape.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: George is one [[spoiler:and Laurel turns out to be far worse.]]

* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Patience has one of these after Tom arrests her and Beau-line is still going to be shipped]].

* DrivenToSuicide: It's implied that [[spoiler:Laurel deliberately allows herself to fall to her death after discovering that her face has become scarred and cracked during her fight with Catwoman. ]]

* HurricaneOfPuns: All of them cat-related, courtesy of Patience; the vast majority of them also double as a case of IncrediblyLamePun.

* MsFanservice: Selina Kyle's Catwoman was this in the comics already, but is taken to ridiculous levels with Patience Phillips (as played by Halle Berry) in this movie with her {{Stripperific}} ensemble and the [[MaleGaze camera focusing on her boobs and ass many times.]]

* ObviouslyEvil: George Hedare, who is clearly established as an antagonist from the first scene he appears in. [[spoiler: With Laurel, it's [[PlayingWithATrope played with.]] She comes across as an antagonist at first, but later helps Catwoman, and then [[FaceHeelTurn stabs her in the back]]]].

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat. Regardless of the name of the film, this movie has almost nothing in common with the ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} you know and care about.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat, loosely based on the comic book character, ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat.

A 2004 superhero film about a woman who gains powers that relate to being a cat. And while the title makes it sound like this might be the ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} you actually care about, trust us when we say that this word is just a hook to trick you into spending money on the film and the Catwoman you actually care about really has nothing to do with this movie at all.

Of course, even remembering that doesn't fix the high number of gaping plotholes, but at least it's one less complaint about the movie that can be applied...

* AnimalMotifs: Cats. CaptainObvious, anybody?