Great fun for all!

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2013)

I take a completely opposite view than many of Cars 2: it's a good movie! So many complain of lack of plot development, dry characters, no scope, blah, blah, blah.
They're missing the whole point. Like many sequels, this story homes in from a large group of characters to a smaller group, in this case on two specific characters: McQueen and Mater, with the later being the central focus. Why? Because this movie shows that people who are seemingly stupid to everyone else, ridiculed and counted out as failures, are not so stupid after all.
Now, Mater is not sophisticated, not quick on the uptake, and certainly not eloquent in his address to others. But what he lacks there, he makes up for in loyalty and honesty in friendship. Clumsy in social graces, he nonetheless seeks for other's good above his own. Perhaps a flaw in his character would be his willingness to take others face value; in a word he's too trusting of others. This gets him into many awkward situations, and ironically, out of many dangerous situations.
The plot was ingenious, weaving the racing dare between McQueen and Francesco with an international get-rich plot of "lemon" cars. There are so many references to past makes and models of cars that are practically nowhere to be found today! The spy plot was icing on the cake, thanks to veteran actors Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer. They really added a lot of class to the movie. It was fun watching Mater get caught up in the whole thing, and watch McQueen and the townspeople of Radiator Springs drop their jaws at what he does!
It boils down to two friends: McQueen and Mater. They both realize they've made mistakes and try to make them right. Mater is able to go one step further and proves he's really no dummy - and saves the day.
Campy? Predictable? Maybe, but I'll take a hundred of these kinds of movies to one of the dark, seedy, over-violent, bloody, depressing, and trashy movies they peddle for entertainment today.
GOOD JOB, PIXAR!!