I had the pleasure of attending the Cars 2 Premiere courtesy of Disney, and I can't even begin to tell you how amazing my experience was. The day started off with some amazing interviews with John Lasseter, Eddie Izzard, Owen Wilson, Emily Mortimer, Larry the Cable Guy, and the producer Denise Ream (who made me cry because she was so sweet and sincere). I will share more about our interviews and some sound bites soon, but for now I want to stick to my review of Cars 2.
Basic Synopsis:
Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in "Cars 2" when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater's action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.
John Lasseter returns to the driver's seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning "Cars." "Cars 2" is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film "Ratatouille," and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, "Up"; visual effects executive producer, "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith"). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.
My Review:
Cars 2 is a sequel unlike any other. I am generally annoyed by sequels because you find the same characters, in the same settings, re-learning the same lessons in a different way.
When you have to watch a children's movie and all of its sequels hundreds of times this can become mind-numbing, and many times parents begin to loath cartoon characters. Thanks to John Lasseter's vision for sequels, Cars 2 breaks this mold. Cars 2 is jam-packed with new characters, colorful settings from around the world, and a story that flows seamlessly from the original film, but paints an entirely different kind of movie. In my opinion Cars 2 is a beautiful movie.
As a parent, one of the first things I noticed was the change in Lightning McQueen. His character has matured and we don't have to rehash the arrogance and pride he dealt with in Cars. He's not perfect, but he has changed his ways, and as a parent, I see positive traits in his new ways that I plan to point out to my children.
Cars 2 introduces us to some awesome new characters, and children everywhere will be sure to enjoy the new cars, accents, and spy gear some of the cars are equipped with. My favorite new character is Holley Shiftwell. She's a sweet rookie field-spy and while she's a little shaken up by being thrown into the field against her wishes, she handles it like a pro and is a character girls can look up to. We also meet the ultimate spy car Finn McMissile, Siddeley a British spy jet, Miles Axelrod a former oil baron turned electric vehicle, and Francesco Bernoulli a wheel showing formula racing car. John introduces new characters that are charming and witty and your child is sure to come away with a few new favorites.
While the majority of the first film took place in Radiator Springs, Cars 2 takes us on an adventure around the world. From the bright lights of Tokyo to the breathtaking seaside of Porto Corsa, Italy you'll have to watch the movie over and over again to soak it all in. Pixar movies are always highly detailed machines that make me shake my head in amazement, but I was blown away by settings in Cars 2. While participating in the World Grand Prix the racers also visit London and Paris and every scene was painted with perfection!
If the new characters and locations weren't enough, Cars 2 introduces us to the first "spy-racing" genre. This film is action packed, and is sure to delight young boys with explosions, cars equipped with weapons and spy gadgets, and high speed car races and crashes. My boys are 7 & 8 and I know they are going to love every minute of it.
I viewed this movie in 3D and I plan to take my boys to the 3D version as well, but I do want to warn parents of younger children. Because of the intensity of this movie I would not take young children (toddlers and preschoolers) or children with sensory sensitivities to see this movie in 3D.
So grab your kids and their friends and get ready to take the adventure of a lifetime, when Cars 2 premieres in theaters everywhere on June 24th!
Wanna know what other moms think?
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