Cars 2, featuring the voices of Owen Wilson and Michael Caine

So far Pixar has proven to be uniquely adept at crafting together classic animated films every single year. Their success is unprecedented, but while other studios struggle to even make one solid 'toon every few years, Pixar makes it look easy. Cars 2 marks what may be Pixar's greatest challenge. 2006's Cars is thought by many to be their weakest film. It's pace too relaxed. It's message of homespun small town values not particularly compelling. So Pixar went in a totally different direction this time, emphasizing espionage and action. Some will complain that the change was too drastic, but Pixar's too smart for that. What Cars 2 emphatically proves is that they can put the pedal to the metal and never lose sight of the heart and soul that makes their movies great.

The biggest problem I had with Cars was that it was the one Pixar film that reeked of formula. Big city race car Lightning McQueen(Owen Wilson) is a fish out of water in a small town, where he meets a bunch of folksy types who change his perspective. Seen it and done it. Cars 2 kicks off with a brilliantly designed espionage sequence better than anything I saw in Quantum of Solace.  Slick Aston Martin Finn McMissile(Michael Caine) is a Brit superspy investigating some questionable looking activity at a warehouse by some thuggish old lemons(like the horrific AMC Gremlin).  A mysterious weapon is revealed, Finn gets spotted, setting off a frantic chase. We've seen warehouse scenes like this with humans probably dozens of times before, but Pixar is so smart in finding ways to make it fresh and believable. These are cars we're dealing with, not humans, so it's imperative to find different avenues to make it work. At this point you're probably thinking, "Did I walk into the right movie"?  Well if you got through that bit and are still curious to see where things go you won't be disappointed.

Back at the little truck stop town of Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen has become a world renowned celebrity and racing champion, with everybody singing his praises. Especially his best friend, rustbucket tow truck, Mater(Larry the Cable Guy). Lightning is more than just a friend to Mater at this point. He's something of an idol, one not to be tarnished or screwed around with, especially not by flamboyant Italian F-1 racer, Francesco Bernoulli(John Turturro). Taunted into competing in the stiff World Grand Prix, Lightning decides to take his cornpone compadre along for the ride. But is the outwardly clumsy, socially awkward Mater ready for the rest of the world? Or will he prove to be an embarassment? Take a guess.


Mater is a disaster, who draws undue heat and shame Lightning's way all across the world. At a party in Japan he mistakes wasabi for ice cream. He leaks fuel everywhere. He's the reason Lightning can't have nice things. Fed up with Mater being...well, Mater, Lightning disses him hard and sends him packing. Rather than going home, Mater somehow finds himself partnering up with Finn and sexy agent Holley Shiftwell(Emily Mortimer) in their case. The thugs' evil plan is pure genius of the Wile E. Coyote sort, involving death rays, alternative fuel sources(???), and old beat up cars nobody would trade for a Matchbox racer. 


Pixar is clearly aiming to make this Cars more fun than before, shifting the attention mostly away from Lightning and focusing on Mater's adventures. Lighting is perhaps the least interesting of all of Pixar's heroes, and while Mater's drawl gets extremely annoying after awhile he's still a character with a lot of energy and appeal. Plus we know next to nothing about him so throwing him into a situation completely out of his comfort zone makes for some interesting results. Plus it's always funny to hear him trading lines with the refined Caine and Mortimer. What I could've used more of was John Turturro with his crazy over-the-top Italian accent that makes you want to slap him with a wet spaghetti noodle. 


The animation is typically Pixar gorgeous, bright and so vibrant. Tokyo, already one of the most electric cities in the world to film, is so alive it's fit to burst right out of the screen. Forget the 3D. You probably won't need it. Have you ever in a Pixar film? I doubt it. 

Pixar is coming off of a run of three films that many consider to be their best: Wall-E, Up, and Toy Story 3. I would argue about Up, but in general that's how people feel. It's silly to think that Pixar could continue that level of greatness forever, and I'm certainly not going to suggest that Cars 2 is one of their best. It's a sight better than Cars, though, succeeding in it's aims for screwball action than Cars did with it's stagnant reflection. One of Pixar's strengths is the ability to take up social causes and weave them into their stories so beautifully that you almost don't know you're learning something. They do much the same here, touching on some of Cars' themes as well as having a thing or two to say about the environment and alternative energy. I love the thought some have had that this is an utterly worthless sequel with Pixar apparently getting nothing right. Mostly those complaints are ridiculous and unfounded. Some will probably see this as their opportunity to pile on, after years of heaping so much praise. It's Pixar's fault, really, for being so good for so long. The wolves were salivating.

Cars 2 aims lower than most other Pixar movies. That much is absolutely true. But what they did go for, presenting a boisterous and exciting sequel with flashes of James Bond and a touch of Austin Powers, they took home the checkered flag. 

Trav's Tip: Get to the theater early because you won't want to miss the hilarious short film, Hawaiian Vacation, featuring the cast of Toy Story 3 treating Ken and Barbie to their first romantic getaway.