I enjoyed the first Cars well enough. It was definitely an off-movie for Pixar, in that it didn’t reduce me to a puddle of emotion, or teach me about life, childhood, and adulthood…but it was fine. The second Cars was not good. I don’t even remember what it was about. So, I went into this THIRD Cars movie (they gotta sell those toys, right?) with much, muuuuch trepidation…I was pleasantly surprised!
THE BLURB:
Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lighting McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that he loves. Hoping to get back in the game, he turns to Cruz Ramirez, an eager young technician who has her own plans for winning. With inspiration from the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns, No. 95 prepares to compete on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage.
WHAT WORKED:
Fundamentally, what makes this movie work is the Redemption story at its center (and the twist they take on that in the very end). Lightning isn’t the racer he used to be. He’s getting older, and he needs to learn, or re-learn how to do what he loves. It’s a very, verrry human story that all us adults can sympathize with, and it sets him on such a clear path that kids will lean forward and engage.
Beyond that, I really loved the writing. The characters were all wonderful, all our originals, AND the news ones; Cruz in particular. And you know what…I didn’t realize it until the end of the movie when the credits were rolling…but A FRIEND OF MINE WROTE THIS MOVIE. KIEL! YOU DID A GREAT JOB!!! Seriously, it’s quite a feat, taking a franchise that hit a low with the previous movie like that and revitalizing it. The story, scenes, and characters felt fresh instead of tired.
Randomly, the part of the movie that sticks out the most for me was the mud demolition derby. It was SO FUN! And I loved that those cars were so excited when they realized McQueen was at their little po-dunk derby, and then when he races again in the end.
Also…Pixar does the US like no other animation studio that’s ever existed. When they show parts of this country, it actually looks and FEELS like that actual part of the country…from the landscape to the foliage to the weather…like, it’s incredible. It looks like my memories of the places I visit, and I love it for that.
WHAT DIDN’T:
Did the movie really go that deep? No. But, that wasn’t really the goal of this one, to be fair. The goal was to make a movie with a tight story that works, and another adventure with the characters we love.
As I’m sitting here, I can’t really think about much else that *didn’t* work. This movie basically delivered on everything that it promised.
So, yeah…it’s streaming on Netflix, which is how I watched it. It’s a rather surprisingly good entry to the Cars movie franchise. It might even be the best movie of all of them. Truly. So, check it out, if you ever feel like it.
7 out of 10 – a pleasant surprise, worth watching!