Cars

FROM ISSUE # 129 (September 2006) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Director: John Lasseter
Staring the voices of: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman
Rating: ***

Disney/Pixar animations, ranging from the crew of Toy Story to a dysfunctional super-family in The Incredibles, have never failed to impress and entertain, and their venture into Cars is no exception. However, although the world of sentient cars features awe-inspiring computer graphics and enjoyable storylines, it pales in comparison to the company's other efforts.

Lighting McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is an up-and-coming racecar whose talent is matched only by his arrogance and overconfidence. His dreams of winning the coveted "piston cup" is put in jeopardy when a three-way tie with Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton) and the veteran champion, "The King" Strip Weathers (Richard Petty) brings about pressure for a deciding three-car race. To make matters worse, McQueen ends up impounded for a series of traffic offences in the rundown town of Radiator Springs, stuck there as the race day approaches. Will McQueen be able to make the race and win and all the glory he had dreamt of, or will he discover something more important during his time in Radiator Springs? The answer of course lies in the movie. 

The plot, though enjoyable, echoes a predictable "talented egoist learns humanity" format, and this is Cars major downfall. Still, the voices are well done, with cameos from real life NASCAR racers, comedian Jay Leno and champion racer Michael Schumacher. The animation is smooth and crisp, and while it may not be an instant classic, Cars definitely stands out among the animation offerings of the last year. And if talking dinosaurs, squirrels or robots failed to captivate you, it may just be talking cars that'll get you all revved up.

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