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2011, 06-24:
Review of film “CARS 2”
In 2006, [Disney] PIXAR had a big hit with the animated film “CARS”. Five years later, there’s finally a SEQUEL, appropriately named “CARS 2”...
... This new film starts off with a bunch of action: A “James Bond”-like car named Finn McMissile (voiced by MICHAEL CAINE) is “undercover” investigating strange happenings on some OIL DERRICKS in the ocean...
... He has to use special Bond-ish “GADGETS” like built-in machine guns & rockets to try to get AWAY from the scoundrels pursuing him on the derrick...
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... It’s clear that an evil group is involved in some vehicle “shenanigans”, but it’s unclear just why or on “behalf” of who... Michael eventually talks to his British “assistant” (“Miss Moneypenny”-like) car, Holley Shiftwell (EMILY MORTIMER), & they try to determine a way to get more FACTS and STOP the evildoers...
... Not long after that, we are taken back to the town of RADIATOR SPRINGS & see numerous of our old automotive “friends” there from the previous movie...
... Many of them are watching TV, where they see an arrogant race car, Francesco Bernoulli (voiced by JOHN TURTURRO), conceitedly claiming he’s the BEST in the world...
... In response to seeing that, Tow truck Mater (again voiced by LARRY the Cable Guy) is bragging about how his best friend, race car Lightning McQueen (again voiced by OWEN WILSON), can easily beat anyone in a race...
... Those words are overheard by Owen, & they cause him to reluctantly agree to JOIN in the upcoming World Gran Prix race...
... In time, there’s sort of an homage to the Doc Watson character (which had been voiced by PAUL NEWMAN, who’d passed away since the first film)...
... For a sort of “pit” crew, Owen gathers together some of his buddy cars & trucks from the town, including Larry (as Tow Mater), & they head off to TOKYO, which is the site of the 1st in the series of the Gran Prix races...
... In London, Michael and Emily are working to try to identify more “crooked” cars involved in the still-mysterious PLOT against various drivers...
... Two of the “sub-level” villains are old “loser” (failed-design) cars made by now-extinct American Motors: Acer the Pacer (voiced by PETER JACOBSON)...
... & Grem the “Gremlin” (voiced by JOE MANTEGNA)...
... As the various cars travel around Tokyo (including the neon-lit “Ginza” area), Michael mistakenly gets the impression that Mater (Larry) is a “SECRET-AGENT”...
... Since Larry quickly “falls” for Emily, he readily agrees to WORK with her-- tho he’s too “slow” to realize just WHAT is “going-on” or what he’s really “doing”-- which makes her & Michael erroneously believe he’s “BRILLIANT” in the “cover-up” personna he’s devised...
... A misunderstanding causes Owen to LOSE the first race to John, as the baddies work to disable various OTHER cars in the competition...
... Not long after that, they visit & tour around LONDON, & then they go to PARIS for another race in the area...
... We meet various car-racing TV announcers & commentators & the like, such as Brent Mustangburger (voiced by BRENT MUSBURGER), David Hobbscap (DAVID HOBBS), Sir Miles Axlerod (EDDIE IZZARD), Darryl Cartrip (DARRYL WALTRIP), Mel Dorado (PATRICK WALKER), Jeff Gorvette (JEFF GORDON), & others...
... When the race moves to ITALY, there are various adventures of touring around the area, with scenes in towns & at a racetrack...
... We eventually see a bunch of Italian cars such as FIATS, & other vehicles such as small lift-truck Guido (voiced by GUIDO QUARONI)...
... All the while, Michael, Emily & Larry continue working on their “SPY” case, trying to battle the machinations of the machines which are trying to control who WINS the race...
... We see some of the old “loser” car models shooting a disruptive “RAY” at certain of the racing competitors...
... Will Michael find out the “importance” of the mysterious “Professor Z” (voiced by THOMAS KRETSCHMANN)?...
... Will Larry eventually “CATCH-ON” to the fact that he’s involved in a “SPY” mission?... Will he & Michael & Emily succeed in FOILING the plot of the villains & figure out what they’re “UP” to?...
... How will Owen do in his efforts to try to WIN the Gran Prix, & what will that “result” in?... Will there be any more “SURPRISES” we learn as the film goes along?...
... I saw a “regular” 3-D version of this film. While there were loads of well-done “ACTION” scenes in the animated movie (via the racing & “spy” efforts), I was somewhat surprised that the 3-D seemed to be fairly WEAKLY utilized (rather than consistently adding “depth” or the like)...
... The screening I saw was comprised of around 50-75% pre-teen KIDS. They were pretty EXCITED at being there, & clearly quite enjoyed the “SHORT” that preceded the feature (with “TOY STORY” characters -- including voicing by Tom Hanks & others -- helping Ken & Barbie who wanted to have a “HAWAIIAN VACATION” adventure)...
... But, while the reactions by the kids showed they’d gotten a “kick” out of the short, they did NOT seem to get equal pleasure out of the “CARS 2” film: they clearly liked the “talking CARS” characters, but they seemed to find LITTLE to really LAUGH at...
... In a way, that’s almost a “PROBLEM” with this film: it’s “CLEVER” more than outwardly “funny”, & the “jokes” seemed to be somewhat too “SOPHISTICATED” (mature “inside” comments & the like) for a young audience...
... The film is a CAR-LOVERS delight, almost a “love-letter” to famous designs & the like: in England, there are characters like “The Queen” (a ROLLS ROYCE-like limo voiced by VANESSA REDGRAVE) + other “celebrated” cars...
... When they visit PARIS, you see Peugeot autos (from a manufacturer making cars since 1891) + (as seen in the photo below) 2 classic models by CITROEN (founded in 1919, which introduced the world’s 1st mass-produced vehicles outside the USA):
... A tiny Deux Chevaux (2CV 2 cylinder introduced in 1948 & made until 1990; I once rode in one in the Middle East), and the advanced aerodynamically-streamlined DS (which showcased their 1954 development of the world’s first self-leveling suspension, done via hydropneumatics)...
... You also see car “homages” when visiting GERMANY & ITALY, etc.... But, while these are fascinating & I personally ENJOYED them, it’s not something likely to especially appeal to young or teen kids...
... While I myself got a “kick” out of the HUMOR shown in the movie, it’s usually fairly “understated” & done almost as “asides” (except for a few things like “Mater” in a washroom)... Thus, the film is nowhere near as funny as I’d EXPECTED (from the trailers)...
... There are lots of “CUTE” touches (such as the “Bond”-like action segments), & I ENJOYED the film overall... But, I can’t rate it at more than 7.75 out of 10 stars for its creativity & entertainment levels...
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