“Cars” is my all-time favorite Disney/Pixar film. It’s got memorable characters, great dialogue, a terrific story and wonderful animation. And it has a lot of heart. “Cars 2” is not as good as the original, but it still doesn’t disappoint.
This is a rare case when the storyline for a sequel is almost completely different from the first film. Lightning McQueen returns home to Radiator Springs after winning his fourth Piston Cup (which is now named after the Hudson Hornet – a.k.a. Doc Hudson, who has passed away since the first film, due to the real-life death of Paul Newman, who voiced the character). Lightning (Owen Wilson) and his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) are ready for a fun summer together.
But then Lightning is asked to take part in the first-ever World Grand Prix, which involves race cars from all over the world competing in three foreign locations – Tokyo, Porto Corsa, Italy, and London. The event is sponsored by Allinol – a new, eco-friendly fuel that could be the future of racing.
While in Tokyo for the first race Mater meets two British spies – Finn McMissile (voiced by Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). They think Mater is an American spy, and being a tow truck is just his cover. They’re tying to solve a case that involves protecting the world’s oil supply.
The opening scene of “Cars 2” sets the tone. We follow McMissile – tracking, chasing and fighting a group of bad guys made-up of some of the worst real-life cars (Pacers, Gremlins, and Yugos). We immediately know that we’re in for a James Bond-type spy caper that, as I mentioned earlier, is very different from the first film.
And many moviegoers, including fans of the original, may be surprised and disappointed. The sentimental element of the first film: the old vs. new theme, the romantic subplot, the lessons about winning not being the most important thing – NONE of those are present here. If you’re looking for the warm and fuzzy Pixar touches, there are very few to be found.
Clearly director John Lasseter made the film he wanted to make – a non-stop action/adventure spy mystery. You may not agree with that choice, but there’s no arguing that he and the rest of his Pixar team succeeded in their goal. The animation in “Cars 2” is phenomenal. Both the chase scenes and racing scenes are visually spectacular. The colors light-up the screen and the exotic locations are magnificent looking.
As always with everything the studio produces involving “Cars” (including the TV shorts) the creativity is amazing. There are so many funny automobile and pop culture references and sight gags it’s impossible to catch them all the first time you watch.
Mater is, without a doubt, the star of “Cars 2”. The story revolves around him, not only his role as a “spy” but his relationship with McQueen. This is Mater’s story, which is not a surprise, since he was clearly the break-out star of the first film. There’s a downside to that, because he and Lightning are separated for much of the film and these two work best when they are together on screen. The same problem occurred in “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”. When the four main characters, who are so good together, are separated by the script and go on their own adventure the movie stops being fun. Some of the scenes in “Cars 2” involving Mater as the spy, discussing the case with McMissile and Shiftwell, are necessary, but the film momentarily loses it’s spark.
The voice work, as you would expect, is top notch. Larry the Cable Guy gets and delivers most of the great lines. He is turning Mater into one of the greatest animated characters in movie history. John Turturro and Eddie Izzard join the tremendous cast, which includes all the regulars from the first film, even though most of them have only very small roles in this sequel, which may also disappoint fans.
“Cars 2” is rated G. There are plenty of action scenes involving guns and explosions, and one event that actually surprised me, but overall it’s appropriate for everyone. Little kids will love seeing Lightning and Mater again, racing fans will appreciate the action on the tracks, and parents and adults who like a good spy caper with plenty of laughs thrown in, will also have a good time.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, “Cars 2” gets a B+. It is not a classic (like the original, or last year’s “Toy Story 3”) but it’s definitely worth watching. Just don’t try to compare it to the feel-good Pixar favorites of recent years. Instead, just go along for a great ride.
The “Toy Story Toons” short – “Hawaiian Vacation” – highlights the extras. It’s fantastic. If this is how Pixar is going to continue to keep Woody, Buzz and the rest of that gang alive then I’m all for it.