Movie Review: "Cars 2"
Danny Alves
Seen on: June 15, 2011
The players: Directors: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Writers: John Lasseter, Ben Queen, Cast: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer
Fact of interest: The character of Finn McMissile was originally written in the first flick as the lead in a movie Lightning and Sally see at the end.
The plot: Best Friends Lightning McQueen and Mater head off around the world for a series of big races. On the trip, Mater gets mistaken for a spy, and troubke ensues.
Our thoughts: It’s summertime again, and that inevitably means we're in for another masterpiece from the creative geniuses at the Pixar animation house. With 11 films under their belt already, and every single one a critical and commercial smash hit, expectations run sky high with each new offering.
With “Cars 2” continuing the string of sequels as of late (remember “Toy Story 3”?), many wonder if the boys at Pixar have finally lost their touch or their spar. But last year, “Toy Story 3” wowed critics and audiences alike, even nabbing an Oscar nomination for best picture. Now, does “Cars 2” have what it takes under the hood to keep this incredible streak alive?
“Cars 2” is a challenging movie to review because it really has to be looked at on two levels. Of course there is the basic. It sure is a good movie compared to any film out there. That said, this is a Pixar film, and the streak of excellent is so noted, you also need to compare it to the classics that have come before and rate it against a much higher scale than usual.
First of all, as a general film, “Cars 2” is fantastic! It has all the elements of a great children’s movie that adults will also love. The action is almost non-stop, and the dialogue is snappy. The animation is first rate, and as a sequel, it hits all the right notes of progressing the relationships established in the predecessor and upping the ante as far as stories go.
Now, is it a good Pixar movie? Not really, because it definitely misses the mark of what makes a great movie for Pixar. All of the studio's movies are marked by an overriding theme; a lesson of sorts. Now, of course, “Cars 2” does have a message about friendship and being true to yourself, but where it falls short is in the delivery of that message.
Most of the Pixar films have mastered the delicate art of artistic subtlety, letting the viewer discover the overriding theme of each film for themselves. Think of how a classic like “WALL-E” was able to convey the longing and loneliness of the robot, and the devotion that develops between him and Eve, not to mention the environmental themes… all done with barely a scratch of dialogue.
This is one of the things that, much like “that Capra touch” from the classics of the '30s, makes the Pixar movies so special and classic; that superb and delicate way of letting the viewer experience the message for themselves, to really feel what is being conveyed.
“Cars 2” is exactly the opposite. It conveys its message with a sledgehammer, and there is really nothing to discover since everything is overly layed out to you, repeatedly. Sure, this is common and for the most part forgivable by most movie standards, but for a Pixar film, it’s a rather sizable disappointment.
But, again, not every movie can be a Pixar movie. They have established such a classic standard that even their lesser entries, such as "Cars 2," are still much better that almost anything else out there. "Cars 2" may not be a true masterpiece, but it’s still a great time at the movies!
Freaky quote: "Tow Mater, average intelligence." - Larry the Cable Guy
The final word: So, it’s not one of the better Pixar movies, but it’s still fantastic!
On the web: http://greenlanternmovie.warnerbros.com/
Article by Danny Alves
Reader Comments (1)
Definitely my oh so favorite movie of the century!
I'd like to have a great collection from pixars.