Sometimes you just have to wonder what is wrong with some people out there. A couple of weeks ago, Duke Nukem Forever came out, and critics lambasted it as if it was the next forthcoming of crap. Granted, we called it straight down the line in our review. It was hardly a classic, but not nearly as awful as they were letting on. And here we go again. Cars 2 came out this past weekend in theaters and the critics practically roasted it as Pixar’s worst, granting it a 33 percent average score over at Rotten Tomatoes. They practically called it uninspired, and something that made the original look like a masterpiece by comparison. So here we are, calling it down the middle again. Upon going into the theater to watch Cars 2, I had in the back of my mind, “There is no way Pixar can fail.” After all, these guys produced such epic tales over the years. And that’s probably where a lot of critics felt it faltered – it’s a sequel to Cars. People expected this tale of epicness on the same level of Toy Story 3. But you know what? This sequel is its own machine – and from my perspective, it runs just fine.
The tale told here revolves around a World Grand Prix, which Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) quickly enters upon suggestion by his good buddy, clumsy yet well-meaning tow truck Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). In the midst of their world travels, however, Mater is mistaken as a spy by the savvy Finn McMissile (Sir Michael Caine), who, along with the lovely Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) recruits him on a mission, one involving a shady amount of cars and a plot that could overthrow the Grand Prix entirely. But, of course, there are complications. For one, it almost appears like Mater is screwing up, making McQueen wonder what’s going on with him. What’s more, the sinister forces have a plot cooking – literally – that could see the rise of “lemons”, or cars that are considered lesser class than race cars. And McQueen has his hands full with a feisty Formula One competitor (John Turturro) who doesn’t know when to shut up.
I kind of have an idea where some critics might dislike Cars 2…but then again, they’re probably the ones who disliked the franchise to begin with. This carries the same style of mood as the first film, and leans heavily on Mater’s antics to move along. For those who couldn’t stand him before, this might grind on their nerves. But you know what, these are probably the same people who can’t just sit back and relax with a movie. The fact of the matter is, Cars 2 is just as much fun as the first flick. A slight bit disjointed, yes, and some of the actions may startle young kids (especially when a rogue agent is interrogated), but still fun. Credit Larry the Cable Guy. He actually gives Mater a lot of heart this time around, along with a few laughs, including a great one stemming from a stop in a bathroom in Tokyo. (“Do not eat the pistachio ice cream!”) Wilson dials in his performance pretty much, but when he chats with Mater, it’s as natural as the first film, so no biggie. The other voice actors are definitely game here as well. Mortimer’s quite the charmer as Shiftwell, Caine does a savvy James Bond-ish like turn as McMissile, and Turturro eats up his role with a spoon.
This feature movie review concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to see our final thoughts on Disney-Pixar's Cars 2.
