Angela Jun 29, 2011 (edited Jun 30, 2011)
Cars 2 has been taking a serious beating from the critics, and even among the most ardent Pixar fans, it's quickly found itself being dumped into the lowest tier of personal favorites. But is it deserving of all the hate?
The first Cars is generally seen as the weak link in the studio's diamond-coated chain of quality titles. Spoken as someone who enjoyed the original, I may have managed to go into Cars 2 with a more favorable outlook. And yet, even that can't keep me from admitting that the sequel is something of a misfire. Much has been said about the none-too-subtle shift in direction and tone: the new movie swaps out the humble, small town setup and "learning to slow down in life" mentality of the first, for a big, globetrotting adventure that's rife with complex tales of international espionage and high-octane action. It's a surprising change-up, but then again, those who couldn't hang with the original's deliberate, simple pacing might actually find this one more to their liking.
I adore this self-contained universe of vehicular characters, and I like how it's been expanded into this new, worldwide setting. Pixar's visual imagining and cultural takes on countries such as Japan and Italy are a lot of fun, and they've expertly meshed a photorealistic aesthetic with cartoon-like sensibilities. Many of the action sequences are thrilling, particularly those that feature the James Bond, gadget-heavy Finn McMissile. And Michael Giacchino, who bounces back after his lackluster score for Super 8, serves up a fun and lively soundtrack that rides on a sonic wave of British spy surf-rock.
When it comes to the actual story, however, I found it hard to stay invested. It's a bit of a clunker -- a "lemon", I dare say -- and a lot of it has to do with Mater. This is, for all intents and purposes, Mater's movie, and the level of enjoyment you get out of Cars 2 will likely be dependent on the threshold of tolerance you have for the character. "Too much Mater!" has been the common outcry amongst viewers, and this film shows that he works a whole lot better as a sidekick than as a main hero. Unlike McQueen from the first, Mater doesn't have much of an emotional journey to speak of, which develops into a weak and ill-conceived moral payoff by the end. On top of which, he's just an obnoxious character in general, falling into a predictably irking pattern of bumbling his way into every situation, and the good spies having to constantly come and bail him out. The extended cameos by the Radiator Springs gang are appreciated, but they're sadly overshadowed by Mater's huge, overbearing presence.
While Cars 2 isn't a bad film, it is a disappointing sequel. Unlike its predecessor, C2 is a lot more slapstick-happy, which, combined with its over-the-top goofy protagonist, will likely go over better with younger audiences. Off the cuff, I'd have to rank it pretty far down my list of Pixar faves. And compared to other animated films this year, it doesn't come close to reaching the exalted greatness of Rango and Kung Fu Panda 2.
