Cars 2 Has Explosions, But Lacks Heart – movie review

When Pixar’s Cars first came out in 2006, it was known as the black sheep among other Pixar films like Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and The Incredibles. Somehow the movie lacked the heart that Pixar is known for. It was still an enjoyable film, but something was missing.

Flashforward to 2011, and we have Cars 2, the first non Toy Story sequel from Pixar. The big question going in to Cars 2 is “Did they manage to create a sequel that fixed the problems of the first one?” Unfortunately, the answer is no. There’s just something about this franchise that doesn’t convey heart. It tries its hardest, but the execution just isn’t up to snuff. We’re supposed to believe that Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) are best friends, but I don’t buy it. We only briefly see the two spending any one-on-one time together, and, to be honest, McQueen doesn’t seem to enjoy himself that much. He’s amused, but Mater has different ideas of fun than he does. So when their friendship hits a speed bump, it doesn’t feel as devastating as it should.

Other than that, Cars 2 is a significant improvement. Visually, it’s Pixar’s best looking film yet. You get to see beautifully rendered environments from around the world, from Tokyo to London to the setting of the first film, Radiator Springs. Seeing the car-filled version of our world is humorous, especially the pits stop in Japan. It’s typical Japan, but with the car twist, so things like Tokyo’s underwear and beer vending machines now dispense tires and oil. It’s those little touches that make the world fun to be a part of.

The storyline is a complete shift from the first Cars, turning the sequel into a spy movie. This was the smartest choice the movie could have made, that and focusing on Mater rather than McQueen. It was like a fresh coat of paint on an old model. If it had just been about the races, it would have been difficult to get through. Mater is the perfect guy for a mistaken-for-a-spy type story and more interesting to watch. Kids especially love Mater for his foolishness. He’s the most endearing part of the movie. Plus the action! This just might be more action-packed than The Incredibles was, featuring explosions, guns, missiles, car crashes, and all manner of spy gadgetry. I had nowhere near this much fun watching the first Cars.

The new characters like Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), Holley (Emily Mortimer), and Axelford (Eddie Izzard) are forgettable despite their importance to the plot. The only real standout is McQueen’s rival Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro), who’s so obnoxious it hurts.

Cars 2 does improve on the original, just not in the ways that count. I hope for Pixar’s sake they have no plans for a Cars 3. I think this will be as good as this franchise gets.