Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  First pretty sure the 3d was useless. Really not needed. Second this is Pixar and the movie looked amazing. Nothing short of stunning. The problem with Cars 2 is it really is the mater show. My daughter liked the entire movie. But to me it was James Bond with mater. Unfortunately for… More
  First pretty sure the 3d was useless. Really not needed. Second this is Pixar and the movie looked amazing. Nothing short of stunning. The problem with Cars 2 is it really is the mater show. My daughter liked the entire movie. But to me it was James Bond with mater. Unfortunately for me Larry the Cable Guy is not my cup of tea and his humor ratcheted it up to be every minute of the show was a bit much to me. The good parts of Cars 2 is that everyone else does actually do well in their parts and makes it worth while. By far not the best Pixar movie but far from horrible. My daughter enjoyed the whole thing from beginning to end and was extremely happy.

• Brian D

  
  I though cars was pixars weakest of there movies. so I hope no 2 is an improvement overall.

• paul s

  
  The problem with Cars and its sequel (the imaginatively named Cars II) is really in the premise itself - talking cars (no, I'm not talking about Night Ranger, or the much earlier My Mother The Car) that behave and have all the emotions of humans - in fact it's a cars world… More
  The problem with Cars and its sequel (the imaginatively named Cars II) is really in the premise itself - talking cars (no, I'm not talking about Night Ranger, or the much earlier My Mother The Car) that behave and have all the emotions of humans - in fact it's a cars world and there ARE no humans. Truly, it's very difficult to emote from behind a car grill, and this, above all else, is why this Pixar franchise is wanting. John Lassiter, the head Pixar guru, must have drooled over making a Cars version of the James Bond spy films - and he pulls no punches here, including an Austin Martin spy mobile voiced by Michael Caine (truly the best sequences of the film, as is the case with just about any film with Michael). The beginning sequence of spyness, showing all the cool things the Austin Martin can do is imaginative and fun - but then we return to our regularly scheduled broadcast involving the triumphant return of Lightning McQueen to Radiator Springs (although there is a bit of fun as Mater disguises himself as a snooty waiter at the classy restaurant). After this bit the film becomes a road film with McQueen and Mater traveling to exotic locations as McQueen competes in the first ever World Cup. Of course, being a spy film there is an evil genius who has a laser type weapon (shades of Goldfinger and Golden Eye) that Michael Caine is trying to thwart and in an amusing sequence, somehow Mater gets involved. As is the case with almost all animated features, one has to look at the film with an eye towards both types of audience; the children and the parents who perforce have to accompany the viewing. The thin line is trying to dumb down the messages and have silly things for the kiddies to adore, while having enough eye candy and adult puns and such to keep the parents from going comatose. The great films walk this tightrope with panache - here, the message is way too obvious and while, for the most part I enjoyed the name puns, the inclusion of all the lemon cars, and the offtimes stunning artwork (once they get out of Tokyo and all the insane neon lights) - yet still, the film seemed to lack that spark or soul that makes the best Pixar efforts really shine. So, what's the final analysis? For children, I'm sure the story line and racing sequences and totally G rated emotional content were satisfying enough, but while I appreciated the spy angle it's hard to get behind the Cars as people concept, and in spite of some laughable sequences and fun puns (Brent Mustangburger - oh yeah!), there just isn't enough genius on display here (although if you look closely you can see the classic Alpha Romeo grill on the façade of an Italian church). I'm reminded somehow of Transformers - fun to look at, but somehow not something you can get emotionally attached to in any way (unlike say Toy Story).

• Carlos M

  
  Entertaining but unnecessary, this irregular sequel is the weakest film made by Pixar so far. It wisely goes for something different from the first movie but still suffers from uninspired gags, a deplorable ecological message and a stupid twist in the end.

• Michael E

  
  Well Pixar has done it again. Cars 2 may not be the best Pixar has done , it is still fun to watch. Many new voice actors were brought in for this movie, Eddie Izzard, Jeff Gordon, Michael Caine, Jeff Garlin, Bruce Campbell and many others, my favorite was Michael Caine. Caine is good… More
  Well Pixar has done it again. Cars 2 may not be the best Pixar has done , it is still fun to watch. Many new voice actors were brought in for this movie, Eddie Izzard, Jeff Gordon, Michael Caine, Jeff Garlin, Bruce Campbell and many others, my favorite was Michael Caine. Caine is good in most things, and this spy character he pulls off perfectly. AS with most Pixar movies the animation is top notch, and the final 25 minutes are great amounts of CG. The film does start out kind of stupid but it then gets really entertaining. My only gripe i have about the movie, is how it differs a lot from the firstr film, the first film was a racing movie and very heartwarming, this one is more of an action movie and spy movie than a racing movie, plus the plot is all over the place. But the comedy is still spot on with this movie, it still has all the original characters as the original, Mater, Sally, Flo, Ramone, Sarge, Filmore, Guido, Luigi, the only one not there is Doc Hudson. Now i was wondering how they were going to do Doc for the movie, if they were going to kill him off, or if they were going to get another voice actor for him like they did for Slinky in the new Toy Story. Speaking of Toy Story there is a fantastic short film before the movie that is about all the Toy Story 3 characters having a hawaian vacation. if you are looking for a fun and entertaining animated film definitely check this out. 3/0* out of 5 Review originally written 6/25/2011

• Jim C

  
  Cars 2 was the weakest film in the line of Pixar masterpieces, and its a scary sign that maybe Pixar has lost some of their touch. i wasn't a huge fan of the first Cars film, it had some fun characters and beautiful animation but lacked the story that made the other Pixar films… More
  Cars 2 was the weakest film in the line of Pixar masterpieces, and its a scary sign that maybe Pixar has lost some of their touch. i wasn't a huge fan of the first Cars film, it had some fun characters and beautiful animation but lacked the story that made the other Pixar films so incredible. This film was trying to be a juvenile waste of time, and thats sad since all the other Pixar films were enjoyable for both adults and kids. Of course kids will adore this film, but as an adult who loves Pixar ever since the original Toy Story, i was very dissapointed. The animation was great, and the music and even the action were very fun, but sadly it does not make up for the pathetic script and them making Mater the star of the film. Mater was a fun supporting character but can't handle being the main star. Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy are still the perfect choices for their roles, and i am glad they keep it up. I think Pixar could've made a really awesome spy film, but sadly they waste it on a sequel to the worst film they have made and then decide to make the sequel even worse. They could've made A Bug's Life 2, or The Incredibles 2, or even Ratatouille 2 (sounds clever) but no... they decide to make a sequel on my least popular Pixar film. Cars 2 has some great things about it, but sadly the script is so messed up and juvenile that it makes it the worst Pixar film, and hopefully their last Cars film.

• Christopher H

  
  Forget sub-par Pixar film, this is just a bad movie even by normal animation flick standards. Such a cliff-drop in quality after the masterpiece 'Toy Story 3'. The biggest problem with the film is that the storytelling is very clunky and ill-conceived. On one end it is a… More
  Forget sub-par Pixar film, this is just a bad movie even by normal animation flick standards. Such a cliff-drop in quality after the masterpiece 'Toy Story 3'. The biggest problem with the film is that the storytelling is very clunky and ill-conceived. On one end it is a a routine heavy-handed "be yourself" story that we've seen a million times already, and on the other end it is an extremely banal spy movie. Lightening McQueen and the other characters from the first film take a back seat to Mater. I like Mater, but the jokes written for him are not only lazy but lacking in wit. The spy movie is nothing special and the identity of the mandatory shady villain is made obvious early on. Even the action doesn't manage to save things because it lacks tension or originality. The animation is still up to Pixar standards, however the world of 'Cars' is extremely stretched out to make the spy movie work. It feels like John Lasseter wanted to make a spy movie but was forced to make a 'Cars' sequel, so he decided to jam the spy movie in this one. The combination of 'Cars' and spy/action flick pretty much go together like fire and ice. Not only that, but this movie is also lacking in any heart or substance that made the first movie good. Every filmmaker or studio is aloud to have that one bad movie once in a while, and obviously this is just one of those rare misfires from Pixar. Hopefully the next movie will be better.

• Jason C

  
  This was a fun movie, but it's far from the best Pixar has to offer. It is clever how a personality can be derived from so many different vehicles. I also liked the sub-plot dealing with poorly made, and far from desirable, models plotting to take over the world. The problems… More
  This was a fun movie, but it's far from the best Pixar has to offer. It is clever how a personality can be derived from so many different vehicles. I also liked the sub-plot dealing with poorly made, and far from desirable, models plotting to take over the world. The problems with the franchise are the main characters. Lightning McQueen is one-dimensional and boring. Mater is irritating and very overexposed in this chapter. The most accurate rating of one of these films is what the kids think. Our nieces and nephews seemed to enjoy it, but they seemed to get restless due to the length. "Cars 2" is quite average, to say the least.

• Sanjaya &

  
  The question that popped in everybody's mind when Pixar announcing they will make the sequel for 'Cars' is : "Is Pixar already insane by making a sequel of a talking cars that lost to some dancing penguin?" For me, no Pixar is not crazy but they already built… More
  The question that popped in everybody's mind when Pixar announcing they will make the sequel for 'Cars' is : "Is Pixar already insane by making a sequel of a talking cars that lost to some dancing penguin?" For me, no Pixar is not crazy but they already built 'Cars' with full of the merchandise and they afraid to lose it so the other way to keep those merchandise sold is by creating a sequel of this movie.. Firstly the idea looks unconvincing to me, but after I spent more than 100 minutes watching this movie, I can say that 'Cars 2' at the same level as the first movie.. I'm not saying the first is the best or the sequel is better, but all I can say is 'Cars 2' equally the expectation level as the first movie offered to me.. From the graphics, 'Cars 2' way much better and I must gave a big two thumbs up for John Lasseter for making his own Cars world.. But from the story, I must say that the story too heavy for children even I got a little confused in the beginning.. However, the twist that they try wasn't definitely working IMO so sorry John Lasseter.. But overall, I still enjoy watching 'Cars 2' and for me this movie deserved a 4 star rate not certified as rotten..

• Albert K

  
  Haters gon hate. Some claim that "Cars 2" is the black sheep of Pixar and while I agree to some degree, that statement is too strong in itself. The visuals are absolutely dazzling to watch. It was created picture perfect with great direction. Incredibly enjoyable. However,… More
  Haters gon hate. Some claim that "Cars 2" is the black sheep of Pixar and while I agree to some degree, that statement is too strong in itself. The visuals are absolutely dazzling to watch. It was created picture perfect with great direction. Incredibly enjoyable. However, compared to many Pixar previous iterations, the heart, emotion, and themes were very light. The storytelling, though better than most animated movies, was lacking contrary to Pixar's movies. Nevertheless, Cars 2 was very entertaining.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Those two are perfect for each other."</i> Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own:… More
  <i>"Those two are perfect for each other."</i> Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> If the idea of a world inhabited by living vehicles seemed a bit forced in Cars, the introduction of an action and espionage plot seems even more incongruent in this sequel, and I could not ignore all the logical holes that doubtful premise provokes (two examples: Why are there traditional houses in Paris and benches on the Tamesis' shore? Why does the Pope need a Popemobile?). In other words, Cars 2 is a much more childish film than the original one, despite the presence of action scenes, villains and heroes killing their opponents and mortal risks for innocent characters. As for the action scenes, they are well choreographed, but they rarely produce any suspense or emotion. Another problem is that the simpleton Mater is the main character in here, something which is consistent with the lighter tone from the screenplay...but at the same time, that makes the movie lose the generally efficient balance of humor and drama from the original film. At least, we have the solid voice acting from Michael Caine as a James Bond parody, and from Emily Mortimer as a rookie agent who must defeat her insecurities in order to save the situation; they both bring energy and personality to their voices. In the technical aspect, Cars 2 surpasses its predecessor with a better image quality, more expression on the characters and excellent special effects. In conclusion, I can give a slight recommendation to Cars 2, mainly because it is moderately entertaining after all. However, I also found it mediocre, and I think that it betrays Pixar's integrity, due to the fact that this mainly feels like a merely commercial project.

• Mike S

  
  James Bond-inspired sequel, which despite the generally low ratings, is just as cool and entertaining as the original. I really have no idea why this is considered the weaker of the two, because when it comes to the amount of fun, they're running a very tight race. I guess the… More
  James Bond-inspired sequel, which despite the generally low ratings, is just as cool and entertaining as the original. I really have no idea why this is considered the weaker of the two, because when it comes to the amount of fun, they're running a very tight race. I guess the major difference is that this one is a little more action-packed. For better or worse, it's also Mater's movie more than it is Lightning McQueen's. So if you're a fan of the former, you have a lot to look forward to here. What keeps both films from reaching greatness, however, is a very simple reason altogether: cars don't make great animated characters. Sure, you can put eyes and mouths on them and bring them to life with a crème de la crème voice cast. But that doesn't change the fact that they're very limited and confined when it comes to their visual expressions. With animals, or even robots, you get a whole range of vivid and life-like emotions. Whereas with cars...well, they're really just talking vehicles. More made to sell toys it seems, than provide audiences with something fresh and exciting. On the plus side though, it's very dashing in its color palettes and settings. And with the welcome addition of Michael Caine to the cast, there's a lot more good things to underscore than there is in terms of negatives. A solid follow-up, which although not something I'll be seeing again, delivered enough laughs and thrills to keep my attention on track.

• Roy G

  
  Not much engine-power here.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, John Turturro, Brent Musburger, Joe Mantegna, Thomas Kretschmann, Peter Jacobson, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin Director: Brad Lewis, John Lasseter Summary: Owen Wilson once again voices speedy… More
  Cast: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, John Turturro, Brent Musburger, Joe Mantegna, Thomas Kretschmann, Peter Jacobson, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin Director: Brad Lewis, John Lasseter Summary: Owen Wilson once again voices speedy race car Lightning McQueen in this peppy sequel to the animated hit Cars. When he heads off to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, Lightning also rolls straight into a case of international intrigue. My Thoughts: "In my opinion, it's better then the last film. I enjoyed the story and the character's so much more in this film then I did in the last. Larry is very funny as Mater and I loved the newly added character's. I wouldn't mind seeing this one again."

• Kevin C

  
  And one of those stars is for Hawaiian Vacation. Cars 2 is not only dull and uninspired, but it's a depressingly lazy effort from Lasseter. I dislike this film not because I expected more from Pixar. I dislike it because it sucks.

• Lewis C

  
  I like the direction Pixar decided to go with Cars 2. Turning it into a globe-trotting spy flick is a fun and interesting way to continue the story without having to retread anything that happened in the first movie. With that said, I am not a fan of Mater, and the fact that… More
  I like the direction Pixar decided to go with Cars 2. Turning it into a globe-trotting spy flick is a fun and interesting way to continue the story without having to retread anything that happened in the first movie. With that said, I am not a fan of Mater, and the fact that he's essentially the main character of the movie is not exactly my cup of tea. I can completely understand how kiddos love him and find him hilarious, but he annoys me to no end. So, as much as I enjoyed some parts of Cars 2 (including the addition of Emily Mortimer, who automatically makes anything better), I can't say I'll be eager to see it again soon. It's bright, vivid and looks amazing, and there's a nice little story of being true to oneself at the heart of it, but the Mater overload is just too much for me. Cars 2 can't compare to the best Pixar has to offer, but there's a 99.99% chance that there's a young one in your life that will have a blast watching it (and playing with the toys that you're inevitably going to have to purchase afterwards).

• Dean M

  
  The sequel of <i>Cars</i> hits the road with a dash of James Bond and a flourish of Austin Powers - fabulous! The childish race movie has been souped-up into a '60s spy romp. The animation is amazing. Water, large balloons, backgrounds during races... pay attention… More
  The sequel of <i>Cars</i> hits the road with a dash of James Bond and a flourish of Austin Powers - fabulous! The childish race movie has been souped-up into a '60s spy romp. The animation is amazing. Water, large balloons, backgrounds during races... pay attention because the quality of the graphics in this one are world-class. There are some goofy, funny moments and some nice one- liners for the older crowd. The themes of being true to yourself and bonds of friendship run strong throughout this film but it's the remainder of the message that worried me. I can see this entire movie was based around Matar (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) and that is what made it funny. But for some people there was to much of him and not enough of the original Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson). The voices do what they do best. Director John Lasseter knows what to do in this movie. The action keeps everything moving. Watching the car fighting scenes is like watching a kid playing his little toy cars and let them do something fun. Which is pretty impressive.

• Shawn E

  
  I love Pixar, but for the first time I was quite disappointed by their film. When I remember back to the first Cars film, it had a really good theme of slowing down and enjoying life instead of always racing towards the next finish line. After watching Cars 2 I felt kind of lost to… More
  I love Pixar, but for the first time I was quite disappointed by their film. When I remember back to the first Cars film, it had a really good theme of slowing down and enjoying life instead of always racing towards the next finish line. After watching Cars 2 I felt kind of lost to what the theme was. I really didn't buy into the whole "cars with guns" and cars blowing each other up. I'm still unsure why Pixar would choose their weakest film to produce a sequel. Although disappointing, Cars 2 is still watchable, even through it's gimmicky qualities.

• Scott G

  
  It was a disappointment that this installment did not get as much recognition as it's predecessor, and it failed to meet Pixar's usual standard.

• Luke B

  
  What the hell is this? I'm surprised Pixar had any hand in the creation of this film. It plays like one of Disney's direct-to-DVD features. A sequel in name only. Cars was a disappointment to me, but I understood it aimed at a younger audience. Cars 2 does this also, but… More
  What the hell is this? I'm surprised Pixar had any hand in the creation of this film. It plays like one of Disney's direct-to-DVD features. A sequel in name only. Cars was a disappointment to me, but I understood it aimed at a younger audience. Cars 2 does this also, but also includes fairly violent scenes, unforgivable stereotypes, and not a single laugh. They choose one of the side characters to be the lead this time around for God knows what reason. They choose the most annoying character of all. An absolute fucktard of a creation. Worst of all, it gives a message to kids that it's OK to be an ignorant obnoxious fool in other countries, and that it's fine if you're stupid. Why is Mater played out as sympathetic? He literally ruins everything. On top of that we have a plot where the idiot is seen as the hero. This has been done hundreds of times before, but never this poorly. Cars wasn't even an action film to begin with. A change of genre, putting an annoying sidekick as the lead, more terrible puns, and you have Cars 2. The only highlights are the races and action scenes, but at 1 hour and 47 minutes, they really outstay their welcome.

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