Great Family Movie that Anyone Will Love

Rating: 10/10 (20 May 2012)

I loved this movie. It was a little better than the first (except for the loss of Paul Newman and Hudson Hornet). I loved the James Bond car (Aston Martin V12 Vanguish) and the Bond-style spy storyline. I don't understand why this movie got mixed reviews. It was full of action, just not so much that it was not appropriate for children. Children can indeed watch this without parents worrying.
Lightning McQueen has just won his fourth Piston Cup, now renamed the Hudson Hornet Piston Cup, and is resting in Radiator Springs. While watching a TV call-in show, Mater is angered by negative remarks made about his best friend and calls in. He accidentally gets McQueen entered in the first World Grand Prix.
The World Grand Prix is set up by a wealthy oil entrepreneur named Miles Axelrod. Axelrod has swapped to an electric car and is introducing alternative fuel.
At a party in Japan, Mater interrupts a fight between an American secret agent named Rod Redline (Dodge Challenger) and unknowingly leaves with a vital item that Rod leaves on him. Rod is abducted by the evil lemons (defective cars) and is forced by fear to reveal who he left the item with. Finn McMissile, the "Cars" version of James Bond, finds Mater and takes him along on his mission. Mater, thinking the female spy Holley Shiftwell (Jaguar XJ220) is his new girlfriend, has no idea what he is truly in for.
The lemons are out to make newer well-made cars look awful so everyone will go back to regular gasoline.
Mater's automotive expertise solves the case and finds the real culprit who is the leader of the lemons and deliberately interfering with the World Grand Prix and hurting the race cars.
I believe anyone could really enjoy this movie, whether or not you have children. From age 6 to 106, you will have loads of fun with this movie. Mater, as always, will have you laughing so loud, they'll hear you down the street.
Some people were angered about the addition of the violence and the "kill McQueen" sub-plot and the fact that Rod Redline (an American spy car) is "tortured" and killed in a scene. This is not a perfect world and there are indeed criminals who do awful things. The cartoon violence here is not offensive. It's what we call "make-believe" and "fantasy" for a reason. Children see the same level (or even worse level) of violence with cartoons such as Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and more.
As usual with Hollywood, the heroes (Lightning, Mater, Finn, and the other protagonists) come out alive and unharmed and return home happy and thankful.
A few complaints were also brought up from people who were "shocked" that the movie wrote that Hudson Hornet had died. I don't understand why. It would not have been the same with somebody else providing his voice. That belonged to Paul Newman and to him only.
The addition of Michael Caine as Finn was an awesome choice. He is an awesome actor and very talented, including voice acting. Owen Wilson once again gave a great performance as Lightning. Larry the Cable Guy is not my favorite comedian, but he did a great job as the "foolish" Mater.
I wish they had brought back Junior (Dale Earnhardt Jr) and Michael Shumacher's Ferrarri. I missed them.
All together, I greatly recommend this to anyone of all ages. This is the best sequel to any movie ever. In fact, I am going to watch it again right now. Pass me the popcorn and soda, please.
Rest in peace, Paul Newman. He will be missed!