Movie Review: Cars 2 (2011)
It's a different kind of Pixar film, but still fun
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar
As with most, if not all, Pixar features, Cars 2 is a story based on friendship and never being ashamed of who you or your friends are. The difference between Cars 2 and other Pixar films is that it's more interested in selling fun and entertainment over drama.
It's certainly more traditional, which, for some Pixar fans, may be a downer since we've been spoiled over the last four years with animated films that deliver drama on a level typically reserved for live-action features. In these terms, Cars 2 is light-years (get it?) away from films such as WALL-E and Up, but that doesn't stop it from being a fun piece of entertainment.
The voice cast includes Owen Wilson, Larry The Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Thomas Kretschmann, John Turturro, Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero, John Lasseter, Eddie Izzard, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, John Ratzenberger, Paul Dooley, Bruce Campbell, Michael Wallis, Katherine Helmond, Brad Lewis (co-directo) and Jenifer Lewis. For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis choose from the following menu.
Review
"Cars 2" is a Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar release, directed by John Lasseter and is rated G The running time is 1 hour 52 minutes.
Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) was the lead character the first time around, but Cars 2 is undoubtedly Mater's movie. After several cartoons centering on the buck-toothed tow truck followed the original 2006 feature, it comes as no surprise Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) is at the heart of this new installment.
The story revolves around the first-ever World Grand Prix, sponsored by a new alternative fuel called Allinol. The race is declared an opportunity to lessen the dependency on oil, and to prove Allinol is up to the task, all of the cars in competition are required to use the alternative fuel during the race. However, as racing begins some of the cars begin blowing their engines. Is Allinol to blame or is there something more sinister at work?
Despite his better judgment Lightning McQueen brings Mater along to help him as part of his pit crew, but the rusty and out of his element tow truck gets sidetracked when he is mistaken for an American secret agent and unwittingly brought into the world of espionage alongside British intelligence agents Finn McMissile (voiced by Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (voiced by Emily Mortimer). From here the race becomes secondary to the investigation into just why exactly so many "lemons" are gathering in every city the World Grand Prix stops and could it have anything to do with why the race cars are experiencing engine trouble?
As the film plays out, the message is quite clear that you should never look for the acceptance or approval of others if it means being someone you're not. And only your true friends are the ones that stick by you because of who you are. While the message is delivered far less tactfully than it is in other Pixar films, it's a good message for kids and I think it will play well to younger audiences.
Toy Story and Toy Story 2 director John Lasseter returns (aided by co-director Brad Lewis) to helm the sequel to his 2006 feature as it is obviously a franchise close to his heart. He and his screenwriters have crafted a story in hopes of turning the tide on the critical negativity that befell the original (more so as the years have gone on and it's become more acceptable), and Lasseter succeeded in bringing something different and better than the original, but this is still a film that falls into a different category when it comes to the Pixar oeuvre. While WALL-E may have made you believe a robot could feel, you don't get the same level of emotion from Lasseter's automobiles.
Cars 2 is a spy adventure for the simplest of minds, which is perfect considering the target audience. It also has enough laughs and the always impressive Pixar animation to keep the adults occupied. I didn't even blink an eye at the nearly two-hour runtime, though I wouldn't argue with anyone suggesting a few trims here and there.
Those, however, looking for that signature Pixar feature we've come to expect may be disappointed if you set your sights too high. Cars 2 isn't as overtly dramatic as past champions in the Pixar stable, but it is a fun diversion.
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I really doubt this is a bad movie as many critics are making it look like.
I have not heard the word "bad" and much as the word "boring". I think that adding the Toy Story short before the this movie was a sign they did not have 100% confidence in the movie.
Brad, nothing to say about "Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation" ? Or will that get its own article?
Cars has made Disney billions of dollars in merchandising. The Disney Princess lineup makes Disney billions of dollars as well.
That's why we're getting Cars 2 and Brave. So we can all become victims of the marketing machines.
Brave is going to be brilliant. Disney Princesses don't make as much anymore. They are trying to force the Princesses back on people with Disney World's Fantasyland expansion, but we'll see. Cars 2 is a film with a message for kids who seem to need that message. Look at how much bullying and hate has come from kids trying to win approval by being something they're not. I was once one of those kids. This movie, if parents pay attention to the message, not the reviews, gives me hope for a future generation
The fact that cars 2 is rated lower than Mr. Popper Penguins is just disgusting. I hate that this film will be panned just because who made it. slap the dreamworks logo in front of the credits and ill bet the RT score jumped 50%
probly more like 80%, its unfair
the critics were waiting with sharp knives with this one. Ill still see it as the hate is kinda bothering me as im sure its a good movie. Thanks brad for a level headed opinion, unlike lots. (then maybe ill hate it, but well see)
You know, I can very easily see the future public and film historians looking to bookend Pixar's "Golden Age" between Toy Story 1 and 3, just by virtue of the timing of this apparent critical misstep and the rise in quality of other computer animation studios' productions.
If "Brave" (which has had a troubled production) doesn't come out back at the top of critic's lists, I think Pixar's shining reputation may not ever buff up quite so brightly again. (Which isn't any kind of disaster, mind you, as nobody can stay perfect forever.)
I think it's fair to say this movie is bad, not just by Pixar standards. There's a simple reason, the character Mater is, frankly, rather irritating. Since he's basically the whole thing, disliking Cars 2 because of that seems a fair reason.
Also, I don't get the Dreamworks comments, since many of their films are picked apart too.
I don't know why this is getting ripped apart by critics. Personally I enjoyed it more than Rio, and that got better reviews. I think they're just holding the standards too high on PIxar, like they're suppose to continuously push out gold.
Nothing wrong with silver one in a while.
Saw it. It's no Up, Wall-E, or Toy Story, but it was a fun and entertaining film nonetheless. It's not as bad as the reviews and fanboys-who are pissed that they are not getting Incredibles 2-are saying.
If it's different from some of the latest of Pizar's, I'm glad to see this film.
I am dissapointed in this movie. If I wanted to watch a violent spy movie, I would have watched the Bourne Epic, or the latest James Bond. The best parts in the movie is when the cars are racing, because the rest is a rip off of all the James Bond movies. Especially the violence, which I did not appreciate my 5 year old son being subjected to. There was shooting, cars blowing up, cars being tortured, innocent looking cars turning out to be bad, betrayal, disdain. Yes, my son will say he liked the movie, but what I dont like is the fact that he too is being conditioned to all the violence. Especially on a movie that is meant to consist of wholesome family entertainment and morality. Only the old car cast showed that innocence by the end of the movie. Bthen, I was too disgusted to care.