Highly and Thoroughly Disappointing

Rating: 3/10 (21 July 2011)

I have to say that I was completely disappointed by this movie. When I first read about the plot two years ago, I didn't think that a race around the world and having Larry the Mater Guy being mistaken for an international spy would work, but since it was being done by Pixar, and John Lasseter in particular, I'd give it a chance.
Unfortunately, my intuition was right.
First of all, I thought this movie was way too violent for a G rating (see the bathroom scene where the American agent car gets beaten up for example). I suppose I should have thought twice when I saw a toy Larry the Mater Guy truck with machine guns in my local grocery store.
Secondly, why was Owen Wilson even given top billing for his role as Lightning McQueen? He was a secondary character at best. The first movie was about relationships and finding what's important in life, and so on. This movie? Merchandising.
Third, Larry the Mater Guy cannot carry a movie on his own (animated, pixellated or otherwise). His actions were funny for the first five minutes or so, but come on here. This whole "fish out of water" stuff (or, in this case, hayseed in the big city) wears thin quickly.
Fourth, can we please get OFF the "big oil is bad" bandwagon, at least for kids movies? Aren't they being brainwashed enough? A kids movie is supposed to be a kids movie, plain and simple. Fun, lighthearted, and entertaining. Maybe even a song thrown in here and there. They don't need to be sent a message just yet. Let them be kids for crying out loud. Let them discover Michael Moore when they're in high school.
The movie did have, however, a few redeeming qualities. As usual, Pixar creates a highly detailed, richly defined, visually appealing world for both the characters and audience. John Turturro hams it up as the Italian Formula-1 racer. Michael Caine never disappoints (Jaws 4 notwithstanding).
But all you need to know about this movie is what my five year old son did when it was over. He is, presumably, in the target audience for a G rated film, and is a huge fan of the first movie. When the movie was over, he stood up and (literally) yelled, "I don't like this movie!" Enough said.