Review of Cars 2 (2011) by Jlwhitehorse — 03 Mar 2012

Clear, concise, intelligent and humorous - such is Cars 2. Cars was never my favorite Pixar, but coming out of the theater after seeing the sequel, I found myself smiling over a clever, well-thought, simply entertaining film.

There is no deep, emotional story, but for entertainment this is by far extremely enjoyable. The humor is intelligent (not crude, suggestive or shallow like so many other animated films), the story moves at a solid, easy to understand pace and the characters are engaging.

Mater is a character that is easy to root for with his positive outlook on life and his compassion toward everyone around him. When it comes to giving a good example of a nonjudgmental attitude, Mater is hard to beat.

Finn McMissile has many of the typical spy characteristics, but goes beyond what we stereotypically think of the "James Bond" character by showing kindness and respect toward others. He openly admits his own shortcomings/need for help, while remaining debonair through it all.

He doesn't even show the womanizing side so easily associated with the "spy world" and instead shows his female counterpart a great deal of respect. Kudos to Pixar for their work on these characters.

There is lots of "eye candy" in the depth of animation and the creative little touches to background motifs that make this world truly and mechanically unique. After seeing the film numerous times on various screens, I am still catching the little details placed in the film - all of which have never been of any suggestive nature inappropriate for a general viewing audience.

This film also allows us a chance to look at some of our little idiosyncrasies in a fun way and gives positive messages such as friendship, compassion and honesty. While not for everyone - a caution to families with young children due to intense action sequences and suggested deaths - for older children through adults, Pixar's continued show of intelligent film making sets it apart from all other animation companies regardless of where the awards land.

As for what I witnessed during my various visits to the theater for this film, everyone was fully engaged - laughing, cheering and generally having a good time. We all left with smiles, which I think says a lot for the film.

My money will remain on Pixar.