Full throttle and a change of direction for Pixar

Rating: 8/10 (3 August 2006)

Dedicated to Joe Ranft, collaborator in just about all of the Pixar movies, there is a distinct change of mood here. A PG certificate for an animated feature is unusual, but then Cars is something of a grown up movie, focusing heavily on Lightning McQueen's long road to redemption. At almost 2 hours, it is also long for an animated feature.
But as there are a plethora of computer animated films doing the rounds at the moment, usually following the formula of casting a few stars, creating a few quirky characters and an average script, then Pixar have always tried to remain one step of the competition. In Cars, they have succeeded with a sound script, brilliant humanisation of a cast full of vehicles and stunning animation, especially with the racing sequences and the backdrop for Radiator Springs, the remote town where Lightning McQueen is convicted and sentenced to a community service that involves repairing the road he had damaged by his own recklessness.
There are moments of fun to be had here, like the flatulent tractors and Mater, the worn down breakdown truck, actually swearing in one scene. But these are few and far between in what is a very serious film. Still, given the circumstances of Ranft's demise, it is perhaps a miracle that the project was even completed. Ultimately, it is unfair to compare Cars with previous Pixar successes as it is so different, even though it is essentially the same team behind this film, with Randy Newman brought in for soundtrack duty and the customary continuation of what happened afterwards during the credits which raises perhaps more laughs than the rest of the film put together.
Without giving too much away, this is an excellent film. Perhaps not one for the kids though.