Cars was apparently the last film to be done between Pixar and Walt Disney, and instead of going out with a Rolls Royce, they went out with a Volvo Station Wagon.
Which is sad truth be told. I was expecting and hoping for a much better film. The problem is, there is really very little you can actually do with talking cars.
Looking more like a two hour commercial for toys, books and video games, CARS is supposed to hook you in with its racing storyline and NASCAR type driving. And if they had stuck to that it probably would have been a much better film.
While there are some nice scenes with the characters the full length film is nowhere near as good as the short subject cartoon, "One Man Band." I think I heard a lot more laughter from adults during the short then I did in the film. I think many of us were just surprised to stay awake during the middle of the film.
And about the only part of the middle that worked was the drive along Route 66 around the town of Radiator Springs.
I have always felt that everyone in America (and parts of the rest of the world) should drive along Route 66 one time in their life. While the interstate will save you an extra twenty minutes on a 2400 trip, it is nowhere as pretty or as exciting as driving the old black-top through the history of Western America.
As the song says, start out in Chicago and end in San Bernardino and enjoy the sounds, sights and tastes of a past that America won't find again.
Our story opens with young, hotshot racecar named Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), trying to take first place in the famous Piston Cup.
McQueen is cocky, full of himself and calls himself a "A cocky one-man-show," much to the chagrin of his pit-crew.
Racing against him is Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton) and a racecar named The King (Richard Petty).
When the race ends in a three-way tie it causes the race officials to schedule a one time, winner take all race to be help across country in California.
Along the way, Lightning gets lost and finally ends up in the town of Radiator Springs, a place Route 66 has just passed by.
Out of all the cast, Larry the Cable Guy gets the most lines and does offers the main humor in the film.
What was possibly the most fun I had in the entire film took place one night between Mater (Larry), McQueen and some sleeping tractors. As my Great-Uncle Bert used to say, "I liked to have died."
Too bad for the viewers no one tipped ink on this thing and made them all start over.
Detail is not left out, which is a standard of Pixar which I hope continues to be one no matter who they work for or on what project they work on. Seeing the flies and other bugs in the film as small cars was wonderful. And the Cadillac Mountain Range is truly beautiful work. Seeing Arnie in a cameo played by a Hummer was not only unsurprising but unfunny. That does get boring after a while folks.
Bonnie Hunt was Bonnie Hunt, cute and lovable with just a trace of pure sex-appeal. She is a fine actress, unfortunately overlooked by many in Hollywood today because she does not fit the cookie cutter profile. Their loss, because when she is in a film she usually is one of the best parts of it.
Paul Newman as 'Doc' Hudson could have been one of the better things in Cars; but it was like all he did was give time and voice and not any of the talent he does have and can use so well.
All in all, a typical Disney film telling us the importance of friends in our lives and that we should not live our lives in selfish superiority of other, but that sometimes we need to look for the others around us to see if they need help.
Still, the movie was fun. Maybe not as fun as "Over the Hedge" but I don't think one should compare them. Easily a film for children over 6 and most adults under the age of 106, especially if you have ever sat at a traffic light next to a Corvette and made a 'Vroom Vroom' sound under your breath.
I do wonder however, if Cars will be blamed for as many wrecks and cases of reckless driving as "Fast and the Furious"?