Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, is a whip-wielding woman who dabbles in thievery. Selina has been a hero, a villain, and something in between, depending on her mood. She is one of the most well-known DC characters in Gotham City and has made a few film appearances.
Her most criticized appearance was in 2004's Catwoman, which seemed to have little understanding of its source material. Many of the filmmaker's decisions make the character a unique version of Catwoman, far different from other adaptations of Selina Kyle who have appeared in theaters.
10 Her Name Is Changed To Patience Phillips
Any excitement about a possible Catwoman movie after seeing Tim Burton's Selina Kyle died down when the protagonist was revealed to be named Patience Phillips instead. While she also experienced misfortune in her first life and went through similar drastic personality changes like Tim Burton's version, it still felt like a completely different character. It is no different from renaming Bruce Wayne to John Green: the name change will naturally throw fans off.
9 She Has The Most Impractical Costume
Of all the Catwomen to appear on the silver screen, Patience Phillips has the most impractical costume of the bunch. It is very difficult to take her seriously, as she exposes so much skin that it makes her more vulnerable to attacks.
While the costume is intended to make her seem more powerful and liberated, it is so impractical that it fails to come across as intended.
8 She Designed Ads For Beauty Cream
Before getting fired for insulting her boss to his face, Patience designed ads for beauty cream. It turned out that her job was to advertise a product that resulted in skin deterioration if the wearer stopped using it. Although fans have seen Catwoman working for and turning against a major villain before, the villain had never been one that sold and used lotion.
7 There Were Many Catwomen Before Her
There are generations of Catwomen that preceded Patience Phillips. Their powers, granted by the goddess Bast, are considered both a blessing and a curse. They know a freedom that no other women can know but will often be alone and misunderstood. However, Patience has friends who support her, and one of them, Ophelia Powers, seems to have a deep understanding of what Patience is going through.
6 A Cat Tested Her To See If She Was Worthy
Patience was tested by a stranger's cat to see if she was worthy of receiving its powers. The cat leaped onto a dangerous, high place, and Patience risked her life in an attempt to save it.
It was a reckless act that required her to be saved, and she very nearly fell. This was a clever way of foreshadowing her later death, but the cat would have likely saved her if she had fallen during this scene.
5 She Overuses Cat Behaviors
Unfortunately, this version of Catwoman takes cat-like behaviors and goes completely overboard with them. Patience hisses at passing dogs, sleeps in high places, stares avidly at fish in their tank, and rubs catnip all over her face. While other versions of Catwoman act a little bit like cats, they don't act like people possessed by cats. Patience's odd behaviors didn't go unnoticed, and for good reason.
4 She Seems To Have An Alternate Personality
Rather than learning how to be bold, it seems as though Catwoman gained a completely different personality after Midnight gave her powers. It seems that Patience has little to no control over the other personality for a large chunk of the movie. Not only does Patience struggle to remember some of the things she does as Catwoman, she also says things one moment and insists she didn't mean it the next.
3 She Becomes A Professional Barber
Although it sounds silly, Catwoman becoming a pro barber is entirely true. After acquiring her powers, Patience takes a pair of scissors in each hand and starts chopping off her hair. Despite her reckless hacking away at her curly locks, her hair appears meticulously styled in the following scenes. Although cats know how to groom themselves, cutting hair is a completely different skill that their paws cannot perform.
2 She Appears To Be The Only Superhero
Besides the other Catwomen, Patience seems to be the only character in her universe that has superpowers. No other superheroes are mentioned, not even Batman. She isn't even living in Gotham, as the weather is pleasant and the city is far too well-lit. If not for her alias, no one would have been able to guess that Patience had any connection with the DC universe.
1 She Returns Stolen Jewelry With An Apology And Cupcakes
Patience feels guilty for stealing the jewelry, so she leaves it on the store floor in a paper bag with "sorry" written on it. Additionally, she even buys cupcakes. This apology is hilariously inadequate, considering the severity of the store's damages. Patience risked a lot to return the stolen goods, while writing an apology also put her in jeopardy. Patience makes a lot of mistakes that show her involvement in a variety of crimes.