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Back Shelf Beauties
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Cars Owen Wilson provides the voice for Lightning McQueen - a rookie sensation on the Piston Cup racing series in a world inhabited by cars. In the final race of the season, Lightning, long time champ The King (Richard Petty) and perennial also-ran Chick (Michael Keaton) finish in a three way tie and have to race one more race, with the winner becoming the Piston Cup champ. Lightning, a selfish, arrogant car with a bad attitude who has driven away just about everyone and anyone who supports him, looks forward to winning and becoming the first rookie to ever do so. However, on his way to the race via historic Route 66, an accident strands him in the small town of Radiator Springs (in Carburetor County). The local judge, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), orders him to clean up the mess he made in the accident, but Lightning might learn there is more to life than winning races. Will Lightning make it to the race? Will it matter any more?
Cars is from the same people who brought you Toy Story, The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, so you know it is going to be good, but it's not great. Don't get me wrong and start hurling invective my way. It's an entertaining film full of great messages and acting performances kids and adults will enjoy, but Cars is not a classic film, and it takes a movie saving performance by Larry The Cable Guy to make it worth the price of admission. Director John Lasseter has several stories and characters to juggle, but his writing team doesn't quite fulfill each story's potential. Most sub-plots go through the motions without many surprises as we watch the typical love story (without us feeling true emotion, just reacting because we have been trained to recognize and react), the tried-and-true story about a guy who has a mysterious past (you can see this one coming from about a million miles away), and the comic relief story about the best buddy (that keeps you laughing, but how does it show us the lead character growing and changing?). Hip, smart dialogue is pushed aside for slow moving wholesome and simple dialogue and stories, so we never get the same level of wit you might get in other animated films, or as many of those moments adults are laughing at some reference kids could never understand. Cars also moves too slowly, especially for a kids' movie. Without many plot twists and turns, and lacking compelling dialogue exchanges, the movie is a series of scenes that are entertaining, but you also get some filler scenes and musical interludes that don't advance any story. Lucky for us, the actors and Pixar animation team push through the average clutter to make the movie worth going to see. Hearing the voice of Paul Newman as the town elder is worth the price of admission alone. As you would expect, he is fabulous as he adds some character to Doc Hudson with his gravelly voice and time worn attitude. Wilson walks a very fine line as he goes from cocky, detestable, arrogant jerk to hero, but it's Larry The Cable Guy who steals the movie as Mater - the town tow truck (Tow Mater). He fills the character with youthful, Southern good ole boy glee that is infectious and hilarious as you see him go through several situations that put smiles on the faces of adults and children. Larry The Cable Guy knows how to git-r-done! Finally, the Pixar animation team has outdone themselves again. The cars as people theme is brilliant as we see each car develop a face, including eyes in the windshields and front bumpers and grills forming mouths, as well as personalities that match the make of car. Then, they bring the rural area around Route 66 alive, complete with majestic mountains, lakes and trees that look lifelike. Always paying attention to detail, you'll marvel at how they get the little things right, like Paul Newman's Hudson having striking blue eyes or seeing gravel on the racetrack. Cars is enjoyable, fun and fantastic family filmgoing, but doesn't quite live up to its predecessors. 2 ½ Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2006 - WaffleMovies.com
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