Cinema 2011 #71: Cars 2

Much has already been made of the efforts by Pixar Animation Studios’ 2006 feature Cars, the only dent in the perfectly polished fender of arguably the finest working studio in America today, which was rather unfortunately parallel parked into the gaping space between their near perfect The Incredibles and melt your heart love letter to dreamers everywhere, Ratatouille. The story of a bunch of autothromorphic vehicles living in a Capra-esque dragsville off of Route 66, hotshot racing-car Lightning McQueen’s dalliance with the dandy shoop-shooping sedans of Radiator Springs and learning to appreciate life by slowing down is not regarded as classic Pixar. Instead, its behemoth merchandising tie-ins and director John Lasseter’s love affair with classic cars are the driving force behind this sequel, that combines the better parts of the bookending films that everyone, but particularly the critics, preferred.

To wit, Cars 2 now finds tow-truck Mater, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, propelled into poll position as an incredibly bumbling spy in romanticised global locations such as a rat-free Paris, a wonderfully camp and visually popping Tokyo, jolly London and sunny Italian Riviera, as McQueen and team take part in a Global Grand Prix to find the world’s fastest car and promote renewable fuel Allinol. Abominable autos and gas-guzzling goons, jalopies self-identifying as Lemons, plot the demise of the racers in a richly played-out espionage plot, but help is just around the bend from British superspy Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), a suped-up Aston Martin DB5, and rookie analyst Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), whose shapely curves may well set Mater’s pistons a-pumping. 

2001's Hal had a surprise cameo

Cars 2 is not classic Pixar, but still offers up a host of visual treats, puns and beautiful animation to keep audiences from wishing for a quick demise by exhaust fumes. The choice to follow Mater is a mixed blessing, as while Lightning McQueen is really only interesting to boys aged 10 and younger, Mater’s brand of deep south bumbling fool wears thin after a while, and his molasses uptake speed, of what is a relatively convoluted plot for a kids’ movie, screeches proceedings to a halt repeatedly. That said, the new characters are generally fun and energetic, with McMissile’s action scenes in the opening segment sending up 60s spy movies a blast, and John Turturro’s Francesco the Formula 1 champion chomping up every scene he’s in with hilarious results. And really, if you’re going to see one 3D movie with John Turturro about verbose vehicles this year, I’d rather it was this one.

With the Cars franchise, Pixar has lost that can-do-no-wrong sheen that has dominated its creative output. But what the studio proves is that even when it takes a wrong turn, it knows how to get back on track.

Plus it’s worth it for the excellent Toy Story short that screens before it.

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Nationwide release: July 22nd

Runtime: 112 Minutes

Certificate: G