Spys versus Cars

Rating: 5/10 (22 July 2014)

Pixar animation has had a terrific run of films with a high emphasis on quality control. Cars was the one film to have had a decidedly mixed critical response but its international box office led to a sequel with Cars 2.
Lightning McQueen and Mater returns as they travel internationally to race in the World Grand Prix. To keep the international audience satisfied the action moves to Japan, London, Paris.
However Mater gets caught up in some kind of conspiracy as British spy Finn McMissile infiltrates some untapped oil reserves owned by a group of 'lemon' cars. After being discovered, he is forced to flee and fake his death but mistakes Mater as an American spy who is roped into foiling the plot.
Owen Wilson returns once again as Lightning McQueen with his cool, laid back tones but the focus shifts in the sequel to Mater voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. However Mater is a country bumpkin and there is little room for character development. The plot is rather easy to guess, its fun, chugs along easily enough but not up to the usual Pixar standards.