7 Legitimate Reasons Why Cats Isn't As Bad As You Think

The film is ugly, that is undeniable. Thanks to the exceptionally poor CGI and character design, it honestly does look like a nightmare manifest. But if audiences found a version of the film which looked identical, but didn't feature the horrifying CGI creations, it would be a different story.

Part of the appeal of moving a musical to the screen is the freedom to see it from a new perspective. It is exciting to watch something that has only existed in one space be taken and expanded. Whilst there is a charm to an ever-changing stage, film undoubtedly has more opportunity for nuance in regards to the setting.

The production designer Eve Stewart and set decorator Megan Jones did an excellent job crafting the world of Cats. It felt theatrical yet vaguely real, with buildings that genuinely dwarfed the characters, and looked exactly as they should. One particular highlight is the application of street lighting. The high neon colours contrasting the dark lighting made the street truly look alive.

Any criticism thrown towards the film tends to ignore just how great the world itself appears, and that is a shame.