Featuring
the voices of Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Nathan
Fillion, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Bonnie Hunt, Armie
Hammer, Lea DeLaria, Kerry Washington, Bob Peterson. Directed by
Brian Fee. (2017, 102 min).
Generally speaking, the Cars franchise isn't held in as high regard as
the rest of Pixar's canon. I personally found the first film very
enjoyable, partly because I'm a NASCAR fan and appreciated its frequent references to the sport, but also because it aimed for more
of a laid-back, nostalgic vibe than other Pixar films. It wasn't often
laugh-out-loud funny, but its bittersweet nod to days-gone-by struck
an emotional chord that was probably lost on children who
bought all the tie-in toys. And aside from Mater (this franchise's Jar
Jar Binks), the characters were charming, with personalities cleverly
reflecting their makes & models.
 |
| "I've come for your children!!!" |
Since
Cars 2 was mostly a cynical marketing campaign, one
can be forgiven for assuming Cars 3, which nobody was really asking for, is simply other excuse to
sell more toys (which it probably did). But creatively, Cars 3 is
a huge improvement over the last film. It's not as fresh as
the original, but few sequels are. However, the underlying theme of
Cars 3 is something most
people of a certain age can relate to: Time marches on and nobody
stays young forever, a reality that can be extremely difficult to
accept.
This
time, Lightning McQueen is forced to come-to-terms that he's
not quite the racer he used to be and faces the prospect of retiring before he's ready (just like his mentor, Doc Hudson). Newer, faster &
technologically-superior cars now threaten his standing as
racing's greatest champion, especially arrogant rookie Jackson Storm
(Armie Hammer). His sponsor's new owner, Sterling (Nathan Fillion)
appoints spunky trainer Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) to get McQueen
competitive again. When that doesn't work out, Sterling simply wants
McQueen to quit racing and use his name to sell Rust-eze products. Instead, with a few weeks
before the new season, McQueen goes on an old school quest to find
the speed he needs, with Ramirez in tow.
 |
| "Go Chargers!!" |
The
story takes awhile to get going and, with the exception of a
hilarious segment at a backwoods demolition derby, the emphasis is
more on the characters than action and humor. Most of the series'
returning characters are reduced to minor roles (in the case of
Mater, that's a blessing), but Cruz is a funny, likable addition to
the cast. Her own back story eventually becomes the crux of the
entire film, leading to a final act that, quite frankly, doesn't play
out how I expected (though with hindsight, the film couldn't have
ended any other way and been nearly as emotionally satisfying).
As
with all Pixar films, Cars 3 is impeccably animated and
visually impressive. From a story standpoint, it wisely pretends the kiddie-bating first sequel doesn't exist, returning
the focus to its main character and themes with real world relevance.
One could still argue we didn't need a third Cars film, but
that doesn't make it any less enjoyable and fans of the original (of all ages) will certainly appreciate it.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
BEHIND
THE SCENES (5-part documentary): "Generations: The Story of Cars
3"; "Lets. Get. Crazy."; "Cars to Die(cast) For";
"Legendary"; "World's Fastest Billboard"
FEATURETTES:
"My First Car" (with cast & crew); "Fly Throughs"
(short tours of various 'locations'); "Ready for the Race"
(featuring real-life racer William Byron); "Cruz Ramirez: The
Yellow Car That Could" (a feature on the franchise's newest main
character).
AUDIO
COMMENTARY - featuring director Brain Fee, producer Andrea Warren &
creative consultant Jay Ward.
"LOU"
- another charming Pixar short.
"MISS
FRITTER'S RACING SCHOOL" - an amusing 'commercial' featuring the
demolition derby school bus character.
DELETED
SCENES
TRAILERS
& PROMOS
DVD
& DIGITAL COPIES
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS
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