Edition:
June 16, 2006
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Movie Reviewers
Gearheads, start your engines. We have a high octane cartoon with nothing but cars, which isn’t why it’s called a “car-toon”, but if you like cars and cartoons, you’ll like “Cars.” Disney/Pixar has an incredible string of computer animated hits, including “The Incredibles,” ”Nemo” and “Toy Story.” Depending on your level of interest, you should test drive “Cars.”
This is the story of Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson, “Wedding Crashers”), a cocky race car with a need for speed. Lightning alienates friends and crew with short-sighted tactics. He considers himself a one man show, circling the track like a termite in a yo-yo and driving so reckless, he might as well have a friend named Dietrich in Malibu
On his way to becoming the first rookie to win the Piston Cup Championship, Lightning’s miscalculations leave him in a three-way tie. The decision is for a race-off to be held the following week in L.A. with bad boy Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton) and The King (racing legend Richard Petty.) So, they all head for the West Coast for the big race.
On the highway, Lightning’s recklessness lands him off the beaten path in the little town of Radiator Springs on old Route 66. Years ago, the interstate by-passed many such towns in search of saving time, rather than having a good time. In his haste to get out of town, Lightning destroys the main drag and is sentenced to fix it before departing.
There, Lightning meets a whole cast of vehicles, such as an old truck named Mater (Larry the Cable Guy.) Wonder if he had ever been a mater-goer (tomato grower)? Then, there is a sassy Porsche named Sally (Bonnie Hunt), who has a pin stripe tattoo above her rear bumper. And, there is Doc (Paul Newman), the wise elder statesman.
Some of the other notable voice-overs are provided by Tony Shalhoub, George Carlin, Cheech Marin, John Ratzenberger, Bob Costas, Richard Kind and Jay Leno. And, real race car drivers Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher and Dale Earnhardt Jr. also get into the act. Each voice has character and purpose that adds to the storyline.
During Lightning’s stay, he learns, rather painfully, that friendship and family might be more important than life in the fast lane. And, helping others can bring more happiness, than watching everyone eat his dust. While in Radiator Springs, maybe he’ll find a friend, a mentor and someone special. You never know.
One of the most amazing scenes is when Sally and Lightning go on a drive through the countryside. They speed down the interstate, then meander through the mountain roads. The scenery is kind of a composite of Zion and Yosemite National Parks. The engines roar, gears change and suspension systems react to every change in the road.
The attention to automotive detail is overwhelming. The older cars even have skirts and curb feelers. If you remember what those are, explain to your kids. The scenes are creatively “filmed” from various angles, not just straight on. With four times the computer power of “Incredibles,” the animators noticeably test and expand the limits of their art.
However, Pixar so wisely included the facial features, sight gags and pratfalls we’re used to seeing in a Disney cartoon and injected them into these realistic computer animated vehicles. The pleasant result yields cars auto-magically projecting a realistic fantasy.
Cars is rated G for general audiences. At almost two hours, it’s about 30 minutes longer than most cartoons. It has trouble keeping the attention of little tykes, especially during the middle of the movie. There are no people, only vehicles in this film and endless car jokes. Finally, there is more fun during the ending credits, so please don’t leave early.
Lightning McQueen was named in honor of late Pixar animator Glenn McQueen, but we’ll choose to believe it was for actor-racer Steve McQueen. The script written by a committee is good, not great. However, car enthusiasts really could ignore the dialogue completely and still thoroughly enjoy watching this remarkable car show. Zoom-Zoom.
Ron’s Rating: A- Leigh’s Rating: C+
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