Cars 2 - (June 24th, 2011): G
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $66,135,507
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $80,183,410
Gross Revenue: $123,083,410
Production Budget: $200 million
Directors: John Lasseter and Brad Lewis
Few films are virtually guaranteed positive critical reaction and substantial box office revenue on virtue of its production studio alone, but ever since Pixar Animation partnered with Disney, the two have reached a now-legendary level of success. Last summer, Toy Story 3 reverted audiences back to their childhood in such an artistic fashion that it not only earned Oscar recognition, but it also became the highest grossing animated feature of all time. This year, with more expectations than usual to live up to, Disney-Pixar decided to work with audience familiarity by bringing another franchise back to the screen, and soon enough, Lightning McQueen and Mater were seen on the side of city buses and in McDonald’s Happy Meals. For reasons unknown, I had never actually seen the original Cars, but thanks to Netflix, I was able to become familiar with Radiator Springs and the characters that charmed audiences back in 2006 before the sequel was released. Critics were unusually harsh in their reaction to Cars 2, but then again, these were the same people that loved Wall-E. Though I would clearly form my own opinion soon enough, it was hard to imagine that Disney-Pixar could produce anything that wasn’t of insanely high quality.
Set four years after the original, Cars 2 opens with British spy cars Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) investigating an evil plot involving biofuel that is being planned by a group of “lemon” cars. Concurrently, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is preparing to enter a three-race “World Grand Prix” being promoted by former oil tycoon and current green power advocate Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard). Accompanied by his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and his loyal pit crew, Lightning travels to Japan for the first race in the series, meeting and forming a rivalry with arrogant Italian formula racecar Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro). Unfortunately, the conspiracy that Finn and Holly are investigating surfaces at the Grand Prix, and they soon mistake Mater for the American agent they were supposed to have a rendezvous meeting with; as expected, the innocent and dim-witted tow truck is soon sucked into a wild adventure. Though he initially enjoys his new status as “secret agent,” Mater soon realizes that his lighthearted attitude may end up jeopardizing not only his safety, but that of his friends.
Many were skeptical over the filmmaker’s decision to expand the Cars universe beyond the simplistically rural Radiator Springs (the focus of the original film) and showcase the characters on a global scale, but the dedication that the animators took to bring every conceivable detail to life ended up being truly impressive. In Cars 2, Lightning McQueen and Mater travel to Japan, France, Italy, and England, and these settings provide for not only numerous references to other Disney-Pixar films, but they also generate considerable laughs once audiences see an animated take on the Pope mobile and the Royal Family. Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer are welcome additions to the cast, and in bringing a focus on spy games and adventure to the franchise, they make this animated feature far more exciting and imaginative than its predecessor. There are some critics who bemoaned the shift in focus from Lightning McQueen to Mater as the central character of the film, but I felt that both received adequate attention over the course of the story, with Mater generating both silly and clever humor. Though these shifts did add to the quality of Cars 2, I feel that some of the changes may have prevented this sequel from fully living up to the reputation that Disney-Pixar has worked hard to establish.
By venturing into more of an action-adventure focus, Cars 2 may have been able to generate some excitement, but as a consequence, the film ends up foregoing some of the heart and emotion that has always been a unique selling point for Disney-Pixar. To be fair, this criticism may just be a result of this sequel following Toy Story 3, which had grown men bawling during its final scene. If you find yourself yearning for the continued antics of Woody and Buzz, then never fear, because you will be treated to a mini-reunion in the Toy Story short, Hawaiian Vacation, which precedes the film’s opening scene. As far as the other elements within the film, while the characters are entertaining and the settings are impressive, the story is a little too derivative in drawing from the spy genre and overly political in its treatment of alternative fuel concerns, but I doubt most audiences will analyze an animated film that harshly. It may not be as deep as some of its animated predecessors, but Cars 2 is still a highly enjoyable animated film that will charm moviegoers and keep Disney-Pixar’s legacy going strong.
Thanks to a $66 million opening weekend, Cars 2 was able to keep an impressive streak alive for Pixar Animation and Disney…ever since 1995’s Toy Story reigned at the box office; the company has had twelve straight champions take top spot in their respective opening weekends. With overseas receipts, Cars 2 has earned over $123 million, which may not represent as dramatic a recovery of a $200 million production budget that analysts would have hoped for, but with few family films slotted in the next few weekends, I doubt there is anything to truly worry about. If anything, Disney-Pixar had proven that they can produce a sequel for its other characters, so I’ll be keeping my eye out for The Incredibles 2. However skeptical you may be concerning Cars 2, I still think that the Toy Story short alone is well worth the admission price. Bottom line, with new characters and an exciting new attitude, Cars 2 is well worth seeing and a welcome treat for audiences looking for a family-friendly adventure.
Overall Recommendation: High
