Cars 2

For a production company associated with quality, making Cars 2 was always an unpopular decision of Pixar’s. It is hard not to be cynical; the original is arguably the company’s worst film, but it made a fortune not at the box office but in toy sales - hence a sequel. Yet whether they can make up for past errors or just dig a bigger whole in their otherwise spotless record was therefore always a subject of debate.

But how to follow on from the original that followed a straightforward and painfully clichéd fish-out-of-water story as lighting McQueen (Owen Wilson) learnt there were more important things in life than going really, really fast? So instead, they brought in spies (Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer) and put Mater, the irritatingly stupid tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy), firmly at the helm as he inadvertently becomes the centre of an evil plot, meaning that Pixar’s normal intelligence, meaning or even decent characters soon find themselves thrown out the window. This cuts the audience immediately down only to children as the humour largely stems from the apparently loveable but actually rather infuriating Mater successfully making a total idiot of himself, by for example mistaking wasabi for pistachio ice cream, and there is little or no emotion. Admittedly, there are attempts to put in meanings and understandings about friendship amidst the piece but they come off rather cack-handed. Particularly considering that the ‘friendship’ between Mater and Lightning McQueen comes off as rather disturbing and obsessive.

Yet it is easy to be overly critical of Cars 2 as though in comparison to other Pixar films it may fall strait down to the bottom of the pile, in the wider category of children’s entertainment you could do much worse. Indeed this is not a terrible or even particularly bad movie; the animation for a start is really rather good, although considering the film cost $200 Million you should expect nothing less. It also flows well, keeping a good fast past and remaining colourful so that you are not liable to fall asleep, and it has been put together quite competently. Though this can’t really make up for all its shortcomings, particularly when it’s hard not to view the worldwide change of sets, gadgets and cast of characters as seemingly there only to attract gullible children to part with their pocket money for the latest new toy.

What results therefore is a rather disappointing product, as however much love Pixar apparently has for the project it certainly does not seem to be shared anywhere else - other than perhaps the cash register at the local toy store. The resulting film feels really like a sell-out that has gone after the easy money rather than producing something that comes near their normal quality, with a production that will only appeal to younger, less demanding viewers. Unacceptable for Pixar perhaps, but in truth, considering that many kids films feel like specially designed torments for anyone accompanying younger children, you could do much worse.

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