CARS 2 – The Review

The original CARS was about the good old days when life revolved around small towns where everybody knew each other and new friends were easily made. The tranquil nostalgia for Route 66 is replaced with non-stop noise, energy, and wall-to-wall action in CARS 2, a sequel that, aside from the two lead characters, has little to do with the original and is instead a fast-paced, globe-hopping sensory overload. Enormous, colorful action sequences are mixed with endless visual and spoken puns about a world populated by cars. The dizzying eye candy from the Pixar magicians is spectacular and fortunately, so is the script. The result is a funny and exciting, a superior sequel to what many consider one of Pixar’s weaker efforts (and it’s 15 minutes shorter).

Racing star Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) returns home briefly to Radiator Springs but is soon challenged to enter a race against his cocky Formula 1 rival Francesco Bernoulli (John Torturro) in the inaugural 3-race World Grand Prix organized by Sir Miles Axelrod (Eddie Izzard) to prove his new organic, renewable oil is better than traditional fuel. McQueen takes along his rusty pal Mater the towtruck (Larry The Cable Guy), who finds himself drawn into a massive espionage caper with British secret agents Finn McMissile (Michael Caine – an Astin Martin natch) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). The races, in Tokyo, Paris, and the fictional, Monaco-like Porto Corsa, turns out to be the battle ground between good oil and bad oil, with a bunch of villainous cars, known collectively as ‘The Lemons’ (Gremlins, Pacers, Pintos) using secret weapons to make sure the bad guys win. But everyone, to their detriment, underestimates Mater.

CARS 2 is great to look at and a lot of fun for all ages but different than the original in many ways. What it loses in nostalgia for car culture and small town values it makes up for in chases, explosions and jokes which isn’t always a good plan but it sure works here. Tow Mater stole the show as a supporting character in part one, so writers John Lassiter and Ben Queen wisely place him center stage in the sequel. The concept of Mater as a country-bumpkin car caught up in hi-tech world espionage is milked for substantial laughs. Loads of rich humor is mined from Mater experiencing world culture, especially Japanese, with a sidesplitting sequence chronicling his adventures in a high-tech Japanese toilet. The sequel presents all of this in eye-popping 3D (Pixar boosts the brightness of its images to compensate for the darkening). The relentless pace leaves no time for any pretty Randy Newman tunes but finds time for some environmental politics. A variety of new smaller roles are voiced with the talents of Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Isaacs, Jenifer Lewis, Franco Nero, Katherine Helmond and Paul Dooley thoughsadly, George Carlin’s no longer around to voice Fillmore. Also gone is Paul Newman’s Doc Hudson though he is given a nice tribute at the film’s beginning.

CARS 2 rarely if ever slows down for quiet moments and its flashy, relentless pace may wear down the youngest viewers, but on balance it’s more invigorating than exhausting, mostly because those jokes that fly by so fast and furiously work and there’s just so much to look at. Director Lasseter and Pixar got to the top of the pack by embracing technology and sweating details, and CARS 2 does a great job of that. The car motif is all over the visuals, from the shape of rock formations in the landscape to the re-imagining of known world monuments. Pixar never fails to produce fantastic, entertaining films, and although CARS 2 doesn’t quite reach the heights of TOY STORY 3 or UP, it’s a new improved model that stands pretty high up there.

CARS 2 is preceded by a hilarious TOY STORY short, Hawaiian Vacation where Ken and Barbie’s planned romantic get-away to a tropical paradise goes awry so the rest of the toys turn Bonnie’s bedroom into a vacation getaway. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and the whole gang are on hand and there will be yet another TOY STORY short in front of the upcoming MUPPET MOVIE.

41/2 of 5 Stars