“A dearliccle cat.”

From Cats.

Abandoned on the streets of London, young cat Victoria (Francesca Hayward) meets Munkustrap (Robbie Fairchild) and magic cat Mr. Mistofelees (Laurie Davidson) and the other Jellicle Cats (including Mette Towley) that are preparing for one cat’s rise to the Heaviside Layer.  Once a year, one of the Jellicle Cats is chosen by Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench) for another chance at life, a second life for the cat that deserves it most.  Victoria has never heard of the Jellicle Cats or their yearly ceremony, but Munkustrap and Mr. Mistofelees take her along anyway so she can meet some of this year’s contestants.  Along the way to the ceremony, Victoria is able to meet contestants Jennyanydots (Rebel Wilson), Rum Tum Tugger (Jason Derulo), and Bustopher Jones (James Corden).  While the Jellicle Cats are mainly focused on the ceremony, Victoria is also able to meet the mischievous cats Rumpleteazer (Naoimh Morgan) and Mungojerrie (Danny Collins), the outcast Grizabella (Jennifer Hudson), and the shady and intense Macavity (Idris Elba).  When they arrive at the abandoned Egyptian club, Victoria and the other cats watch as the final few contestants sing for Old Deuteronomy in an effort to be selected for another life; however, as Gus the Theatre Cat (Ian McKellen) and Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat (Steven McRae) finish their performances, Macavity kidnaps the contestants and Old Deuteronomy with the help of Bombalurina (Taylor Swift).  Left in despair, the Jellicle Cats are hopeless until Victoria comes up with several ideas that might save the other cats, as well as the entire ceremony.

Those unfamiliar with the Broadway play will likely find themselves lost; some songs are catchy and some iconic, but almost all are filled with odd terms that make them difficult to follow.  While the choreography and visual effects involved in covering the human actors in fur is impressive, the oddity is overwhelming.  Hudson and Hayward give beautiful performances, but the rest of the celebrities brought in to boost the film’s popularity seem to miss the mark.  Fans of the play might find Cats enjoyable, but unfortunately this fantastical, musical spectacle is not for everyone.

| Rated: PG | Running Time: 109 minutes |Genre: musical/fantasy |

||Family Viewing||Cursing: 0 of 10|Nudity: 0 of 10|Sexuality: 0 of 10|Gore: 0 of 10

|AVAILABLE FOR HOME VIEWING|