I’m a big fan of the original Cars movie. The locals from Radiator Springs are all quirky and lovable, the characters so well-drawn that they’re both flawed and memorable. Thanks to my 3 year old son’s obsession with all things Cars-related, I’m as familiar with the 2006 animated hit as any adult could be.
So it was with a fair amount of anticipation that we settled into our seats at the cinema to watch Cars 2 today, along with a hundred other happily noisy kids and kids-at-heart. For the next one and a half hours, we were treated to amazing chase scenes, race sequences around the world, impressive and not-too-gimmicky 3D effects (more on that), and a plot that seemed to be the love child of James Bond and “Who Killed the Electric Car” – along with the addition of Michael Caine providing the voice of super-spy car Finn McMissile. However, I did feel something was missing – emotional investment in the characters.
Before you choke on your popcorn and cry out, “But dude, this is a kid’s animated movie about a racing car!”, consider this: the first Cars instalment was a very character-driven movie, deliberately slower than many of its animated counterparts, refusing to simply move from action sequence to action sequence, and the time spent in Radiator Springs is what anchored the hero’s journey from hot headed rookie to respectable and adulated race car star. The well-written plot was simple but profound enough for young kids to appreciate.
In Cars 2, thanks to a plot device that sends four-time Piston Cup winner Lightning McQueen and his best pal Mater to Japan, Italy and England (though not always together), I was dazzled by the spectacle of each set piece, but wondered if the target audience actually understood the motivations of each of the main players, for both heroes and villains. No matter, I suspect, as Mater’s high-jinx, McMissile’s spy gadgetry and McQueen’s battles on each race track would have drowned out many of the questions that may have been posed by the viewing youngsters.
The peripheral characters that rounded out and provided a back drop for much of the first movie are relegated to cameos in Cars 2. I found myself wanting to spend more time with them, but sadly the back drop of international intrigue and sabotage plotting didn’t really allow for these characters to do much more than react in the background. Hopefully we’ll see more of them in the future.
One thing I will mention about the technical aspects of 3D movie viewing is regarding movement on the cinema screen. During dialogue and fixed-camera action scenes, the 3D effect worked very well. However, once the (virtual, being animated) camera panned or moved across landscapes and virtual sets, even at a slow rate, all objects and surfaces became quite blurry. For this reason, I think Cars 2 would be just as good or maybe better on a quality 2D cinema screen, as the blur tended to jolt me out of the movie, almost to distraction.
That aside, the visuals are gorgeous. Pixar have mastered the art of creating cartoon worlds and characters that look real, but not as if they belong in this world. It keeps you grounded in the movie, and allows you to fully enjoy the visual candy. While watching Cars 2, I totally forgot that there wasn’t one single human being on screen. That level of suspension of disbelief is incredible considering there was a talking plane and one major character was so nervous he leaked oil down his trousers… I mean tyres.
If you’re looking for a movie that will deliver a couple of subtle life lessons, this isn’t the place. If you want to treat your kids to a high octane, loud and fast-paced racing flick with lots of explosions and good guys fighting bad guys, Cars 2 delivers in spades.
Louann Cantine says
When we stop learning we stop evolving so I thank you for giving me something to research more and grow a more informed opinion.