Universal Picture’s adaptation of Cats has quickly become one of the most, if not the most hated movie of 2019. There are endless complaints about the plot structure, the animation and practically everything about the movie. But was it really THAT bad? 

For starters, it is important to acknowledge that Cats is originally a musical. One of the main appeals of the show is the dancing and music, not the plot. That is where the movie was able to deliver. The singing and dancing scenes, which take up practically the whole movie, were amazing. The choreography and artistry definitely did the musical justice. The main character is played by a professional ballerina, who performed with a beautiful quality of artistry and expression. 

Many people complained about the animation, but that animation style was necessary to convey the dancing. The original show has humans dressed like cats dancing all around the stage, so it would be nearly impossible to have choreographed dance numbers if the characters looked like actual cats. But I will admit that a few of the dancing scenes were just too much. Watching a cat-bodied Rebel Wilson eat dancing cockroaches made me very uncomfortable to say the least. But looking past those few uncomfortable moments, the movie really was not that bad. 

Now, for everyone saying they didn’t know the plot, you just had to listen to the first ten minutes of the movie. It is quickly explained that the main cat, Victoria, was abandoned in the streets of London and meets a group of cats called the Jellicles, as they prepare for the annual Jellicle Ball (basically a talent show) to decide which cat will be sent to heaven and be reborn, a clear play on cats’ nine lives. Most of the song numbers are to introduce the new cats Victoria encounters throughout the evening. See, it’s a pretty simple plot. 

One other great thing about cats was the cast. With the likes of James Corden, Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, Ian Mckellan, Jason Derulo and Taylor Swift, there was no shortage of musical talent. The soundtrack was definitely the biggest highlight of the movie.

Overall Cats was something unique. While the animation style wasn’t the most appealing and the plot may have been a little hard to follow, the dancing and singing made the movie way more tolerable. Although it’s not AMAZING, it’s not that terrible either. A solid 7/10 at best.