*yawn* predictable, stereotyped, and limited

Rating: 4/10 (9 November 2006)

The film's characters go through almost no character development, except for two very obvious, predictable changes. Every part of the plot can be guessed from the outset. The ethnic stereotyping, too, is both predictable ...and slightly offensive as well.
And let's face it... a car presents very little opportunity for animation and anthropomorphism. It doesn't have arms and legs to gesture with, nor much flex in its body. Aside from eyes and mouth, there's very little in the way of animation going on here....and the movie suffers for it.
I'm hoping that this, the last movie Pixer is contracted to do for Disney, was just a half-hearted gesture to complete the contractual obligations. Pixar has done some wonderful stuff in the past, but this is a definite four or five levels below previous work in storyline, characterization, and animation. In scenery, however, it is impressive and above Pixar's previous work-- the ground, particularly when Mater's hood falls off a cliff, is very real-looking.