The Cars movies lacked the critical motor backing Pixar's usual output (Cars 2, even more so), but they still made money. So the inevitable Cars 3 was bound to drive in. It's finally happened. The final product is surprisingly the best of the mostly OK franchise.
Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is still the top race car of the Piston Cup circuit. Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) is a new racer driving up to steal Lightning's thunder. He and a new bunch of race cars have the technical know-how to zoom past the old guard. So the old guard quickly retire, but not Lightning. One race against Storm ends in disaster for Lightning.
Lightning decides to get back to work once he gets well enough. He goes to a new training facility where cars like Storm get their simulated know-how. There's also some personal input provided by trainer Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo). His new sponsor, Sterling (Nathan Fillion), sees no future in Lightning's racing career, but sees one for him in advertising. Lightning decides to stake his career on his next race. Cruz is appointed to help him, but Lightning helps her realize her own racing dreams.
This marks the directorial debut of Brian Fee, a Pixar Storyboard Artist since Cars. Its story is a good one. Lightning's struggle to stay relevant is an understandable one. After all, what does an "old car" do after so many years? That's reflected in his flashbacks with his mentor, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman, via archive recordings). He finds it rewarding to do what Doc did and train the next generation. That's a great resolution. There's also a prevalent moral that technology is no replacement for real world experience (see Cruz's first time on the field).
Are there issues with the story? Yes, but probably minor. Jackson Storm isn't seen again after the final race. I would've wanted to see some resolution to that guy. And my suspension-of-disbelief nearly cracked when Lightning and Cruz tracked down Smokey (Chris Cooper), Doc's own mentor. Smokey is still alive when most comparatively aged humans aren't. How old are the characters?
Cars 3 continues Pixar's standards of technical excellence. The car characters look realistically shiny and chrome. Their environments are equally photorealistic; the training facility is a real masterpiece of production design. The sound design and editing are suitably intense and clear. Composer Randy Newman's recognizable score is a good listen and a nice fit for the action.
Cars 3 relates themes universal for both humans and anthropomorphic cars. Its themes may sound overtly familiar, but it gives them some new spins. The new spins help make the final race a satisfying trilogy capper. It's also a good warm-up for Pixar's Thanksgiving offering, Coco.
The proceedings begin with Pixar's latest short, Lou. This one finds the animate contents of the lost-and-found box in an Elementary School dealing with a bully with kindness. It's another fun and emotional story even if you can't make out what Lou really is.
No comments:
Post a Comment