Cars 2

[AndrewH]

Here's my official review of "Cars 2", the latest gem from Pixar:

Set some years after the original "Cars," racing superstar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) has just won his fourth Piston Cup trophy, and is set to enjoy some well-deserved time off. Of course, his relaxation is short-lived when he inadvertently agrees to take part in the World Grand Prix, an international race created by a former British oil baron who is now promoting alternative fuel. Lightning agrees to take his best friend, Mater the tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy), along with him. However, it soon becomes apparent that there are sinister forces planning to sabotage the race, and Mater gets mistaken for an American agent by British master spy Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and his new partner Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). Somehow, Mater must help defeat the bad guys and make sure his friend wins the race.

From the moment I saw the first trailer for this film, I knew it wasn't going to be your average Pixar film. This is the polar opposite of previous classics such as "Toy Story" or "Monsters, Inc." You cannot go into this film expecting masterful storytelling with a deeper meaning as usual. And this isn't necessarily a bad thing; I feel that after a string of artistic masterpieces, the creative minds at Pixar had to have a little fun. Sure, there are messages about the value of friendship and being yourself, but that's about as deep as it gets. If you go in expecting a high-octane action adventure, then I think you'll thoroughly enjoy this film. All the elements of a classic spy thriller are here, including an introductory action sequence that would make 007 proud.

Once again, the animation is superb. Each of the locations look gorgeous, and are brought to life by both feelings of livelihood and subtle nods to the automotive universe (ex. "Big Bently" in London). The level of action is surprisingly high for a family film; the spy cars and "bad guy" cars come equipped with your typical gadgets and weapons, including rockets, machine guns, oil slicks, etc.

Then there's the voice acting: this is Mater's time to shine, while Lightning McQueen kind of fades into the background. Either you love Larry the Cable Guy or you hate him. I think he does alright as a leading character (at least better than his live-action movies  ). Michael Caine is excellent as usual, and most of the other actors from the first movie return to voice their respective characters (minus Doc Hudson, who is given a loving tribute at the beginning of the film. R.I.P. Paul Newman).

"Cars" was widely regarded as the weakest link in the Pixar universe, and now some people are saying that the sequel is much better than the original, while others are calling it the worst Pixar film ever made. To me, this is like saying that "Insomnia" was Christopher Nolan's worst film. Personally, I loved the original and I think the sequel makes great improvements in story, setting, cast, and just about everything else (except for music; where was Randy Newman?!)

Overall rating: B+

P.S. For those of you asking why cars exist in a world without humans...it's a kids movie. Calm down.

[Dan]

I felt Car 1 was about 1 hour too long. Should I like this one more? It got pretty bad reviews on rottentomatoes.com

[Daft]

P.S. For those of you asking why cars exist in a world without humans...it's a kids movie. Calm down.

It reminds me of that short story from Stpehen King called 'Trucks' (It was adapted to a movie too), in which, suddenly all trucks came alive and started hunting people.

[mihimarcelo]

I need to watch this movie! It have Perfume's "Polyrhythm" on the soundtrack! :L998877