Feels like a bad Saturday morning hangover; Pixar has definitely run low on gas!

Rating: 4/10 (29 June 2011)

'CARS 2': Two Stars (Out of Five)
Pixar Studio's 12th animated feature, and without a doubt it's all time low point, is this sequel to the 2006 hit original. Another tale of the adventures of Lightning McQueen and buddy Mater in a world of all living cars and other automobiles. John Lasseter (who also directed the original and first two 'TOY STORY' films) returned to direct the film (his first time doing so since the film's predecessor five years ago) with newcomer Brad Lewis. It was written by Lasseter, Lewis, Dan Fogelman and Ben Queen. The film is only the third sequel Pixar has released (after the second and third 'TOY STORY' films) but many more are planned. This is not a good sign by the looks of 'CARS 2'. Hopefully this was just a speed bump but it was not a good film by any means and by no measure lived up to the previous standards set by the respectable studio.
The film picks up with race car Lightning McQueen (once again voiced by Owen Wilson) returning home to his hometown of Radiator Springs after a successful racing trip. His best friend, the tow truck named Mater (once again voiced by Larry the Cable Guy), is overjoyed to see him. After spending a day together catching up Mater quickly becomes jealous when McQueen wants to spend time with his girlfriend Sally (Bonnie Hunt reprising her role) alone. He then gets heated up when he hears a cocky Grand Prix race car named Francesco (John Tuturro) boasting how he could easily take McQueen in any race, on TV. Mater calls up the news show and challenges the race car which leads to McQueen entering the Grand Prix and taking Mater along with him. Once there Mater becomes involved in an espionage adventure (through a classic movie mistaken identity scenario) and teams up with two spies (voiced by Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer).
The film does have a positive message about friendship and being true to yourself regardless of how others treat you because of it, as well as an environmental message about alternative fuel sources, but it seems tacked on and forced. The rest of the movie is a pain to get through to get to it and not quality entertainment for anyone (of any age). I was extremely bored and annoyed by the film and I could tell most others in the theater I was seeing it in were as well. Kids were crying and being antsy and parents were moaning and constantly yawning. The film barely got any laughs or signs of positive emotion from anyone in the theater that I could tell. The magic just wasn't there like with other Pixar films. The movie is loud, clanky and simply put a mess. The characters are underwritten and the story barely holds together for it's nearly two hour running time. Nothing about the film works. It feels like a bad Saturday morning hangover. All except for the visuals, the visuals are still grade A but for the money spent on the film ($200 million) they should be a lot better. Pixar definitely has run low on gas, at least for the time being. Hopefully it can get a jump start.
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