Disney finally does a sequel right, almost, taking the focus off the previous films star of Lightning McQueen with Mater the tow truck now taking the starring role.
Film making 16/25
Video 24/25
Audio 24/25
Bonus Features 10/25
Total 74/100
Let’s face it, Pixar is the mark for quality entertainment and we expect to find the best from the studio but when we get an average film it is a disappointment. Kids will love Cars 2 and it is a funny film with plenty of good spy versus spy hilarity but the film just lacks the expected Pixar standard, average is just not good enough.
Mater the Tow Truck from the first Cars is now in the lead but not of a race, he is now unwittingly an agent passing secret information to British agents but he doesn’t even know it. Lightning and Mater along with several friends from Radiator Springs enter a race to compete against others trying to prove that a newfangled fuel substitute is the fuel of the future.
Lightning and Mater head to the 3 race Grand Prix with the first stop in Tokyo where a United States spy is sent to hand off some secret information about a plot to take over the fuel market. The agencies don’t know the mastermind behind the plot and the information being passed is a photo that will identify who the mastermind is.
When the spies trying to receive the photo arrive at the drop site they think Mater is the US spy passing the information. The spies think its Mater because he could not possibly be as dimwitted as he acts when he interferes with some of the troublemakers at the race as well.
Mater soon finds himself in the middle of the plot trying to help two British spies find out who is behind the plot to replace regular fuel with Allinol. The race is the opportunity for converted Miles Axlerod to plug his new fuel that is supposed to be much better than gasoline called Allinol.
Mater helps the spies uncover the plot but McQueen does not believe that Mater could possibly be helping real spies do some good until forced to see it for himself. The Queen even gets in on the act when she thanks Mater and Knights him, further heightening Maters worldly accomplishments.
Cars 2 is a great idea taken to its logical next step, animated vehicles that can talk and act like they are sentient beings now in a sequel. Disney or the writers behind this sequel, John Lasseter and Brad Lewis mostly did wise to push Mater into the spotlight but failed by not including the other class acts from the previous film.
The film did not make use of the other talented actors who only appear as cameos for some of the big named actors and other choices were just as illogical. Mater does a great job as the unwitting spy but with enough laughs that it does work some but the film overall falls short of great.
Whether you want to blame the spotlighting of Mater, the lack of supporting cast or just plain bad writing Cars 2 does fall short in entertainment value, at least for adults. Cars 2 is a decent enough movie and with Mater as the hero it is interesting with the somewhat less than brilliant tow truck as the star.
I received the Blu-ray and DVD edition with the usual great quality on the DVD and stunning Blu-ray experience for video and audio that we expect from a Pixar film. Both video and audio are above average for the DVD edition but the Blu-ray is perfect, great color, superb audio and nothing but the finest for 7.1 surround sound.
Bonus content for the Cars 2 experience is lacking to be blunt; Pixar and Disney films usually have a much better offering for extras but not here. Both the DVD and Blu-ray disc include an audio commentary track and the two short films Air Mater and Hawaiian Vacation.
That is all for bonus content which is disappointing, I expect more from an entertainment titan like Pixar and Disney, even a gag reel would have been appreciated. Cars 2 will be a hit for kids and adults will laugh out loud at least a few times but overall the entertainment value of Cars 2 is lacking a bit.
I can recommend Cars 2 DVD + Blu-ray Combo Pack for a purchase if you like the animated Cars fun but kids will enjoy the film repeatedly.