Pixar's Cars finishes first, with problems

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2006)

I hope I can make this review brief, as in-depth summary and cumbersome film-making terminology would burden the less endowed. You've probably heard some negative press on Cars maybe in the form of bad reviews, but those people have no idea what they're talking about. Avoid them.
Simply put, Cars is great, but also has it's share of problems. Car's most impressive attribute is it's charm. Each shot in the movie is chock full of fun. Whether it's the amazing performance of Larry the Cable Guy as the lovable Mater, or cute jokes - the movie is lovable. The jokes are funny, and there's enough to entertain adults too. The animation and cinematography is unparalleled. The movie doesn't feel like a cheap rip-off like other studios *cough* DreamWorkds *cough cough*. Some would argue that this is a biased review, or 'fanboyish', but nothing could be farther from the truth. Cars isn't perfect. It's hard to compare Cars to The Incredibles or Finding Nemo, because the tone of each movie is vastly different. Cars is more of a 'moral' story, and a fun, charming movie. That is the movie's strength, and greatest weakness. Cars lacks a big sacrifice. There are twists and turns on Route 66, and little 'gives' but no big price to be paid. Although charming and heart- warming, it's not heart-wrenching in the way Toy Story 2 was, Nemo was, or the Incredibles was. The characters gleam and glisten, but hardly get scratched- internally or externally. The movie needed a nip and a tuck in it's pacing, a bigger sacrifice, and some more interaction between Lightning and Sally which holds it back from greatness. Timeless and fun, yes, but it will never be seen as better than The Incredibles or Finding Nemo. However, all in all, Cars is one hell of a ride.