She may not be “Catwoman”, but Anne Hathaway is sexy as hell as Selena Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises.
Anne Hathaway is definitely an exceptional actress, but going into the film I had a hard time imagining her as Catwoman. In fact, I still do. I might argue that she doesn’t actually play Catwoman at all… or at least not any iconic version of Catwoman that we’ve seen before. I could be wrong, but I don’t seem to remember anyone in the film ever calling her “Catwoman” by name. She is a cat burglar and she wears a catsuit and cat-like goggles, but the overt sexuality and feline mannerisms associated with past incarnations of the character are almost entirely absent.
Christopher Nolan’s Selena Kyle is a sophisticated loner, liar, grifter and a thief. Anne Hathaway is absolutely mesmerizing and scene-stealing throughout. I was fascinated by the way she moves. She doesn’t slink around in ridiculous “cat-like” poses, but she does have a certain gymnastic elegance in her movements. She sways her hips when she walks, but it’s not necessarily meant to be provocative… it’s more like watching a gunslinger’s swagger. She seems relaxed and poised, but prepared to do something dangerous at the drop of a hat. According to the interview below, it was no accident either.
This is not the over-the-top, sexualized version of Catwoman that I naturally associate with the character. Hathaway’s sex appeal stems directly from her display of confidence. I underestimated Hathaway’s ability to convey a physical threat, as does every male character in the film, which is one of the weapons that Selene Kyle uses to her advantage. She’s small and not very intimidating and comes across as the underdog surrounded by hardened criminals and mad men, which just makes you root for her even more as she plants their faces into the ground.
Anne Hathaway plays a damned good femme fatale and her performance was one of my favorite parts of The Dark Knight Rises. I’m not sure that this role counts as “Catwoman”, but it’s definitely fun to watch.
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises
Selena Kyle’s Wicked Stiletto Heels
Anne Hathaway straddling the BatPod
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
These modern superhero movies are very impressive. The producers do tend to deconstruct the heroes and villains of my youth which I don’t care for. Like in the Avengers, the secret identity is abandoned for one example. Characters take off their masks at the drop of a hat these days. Angst seems to be the driving force behind the modern superhero. Create a new character instead of destroying an old one if you don’t like the way the older ones relate to the modern world.