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Film review

Star vehicle veers a bit

Pedal to the metal isn't the prevailing speed in this amusing but unevenly paced auto animation.

By STEVE PERSALL
Published June 8, 2006

[Buena Vista Pictures]

Rusty Tow Mater, left, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, and Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) rev up the automotive action in Cars.

Cars gets off to a jackrabbit start, establishing an animated universe in which automobiles are practically human, meaning that they enjoy watching other cars go fast around race tracks.

The opening sequence in a quasi-NASCAR setting is vibrant, loud and funny - too much so for the gentler Doc Hollywood-style plot that follows. It is also much too long, essentially burning through the fantasy's cleverest ideas.

By the time Cars returns to a speedway for the obligatory Big Race, we've already seen everything Pixar animators have to offer on the subject. They seem to realize it, too; the race ends when our interest is just warming up again, after an hour of tracing an arrogant soul's realization of friendship's joy. If that material were nearly as perfect as the car concept or as funny as Over the Hedge, director John Lasseter wouldn't be urged to show his best raceway tricks at once.

The hot shot that needs a character makeover is Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson), a rookie racer on the Piston Cup circuit. Lightning is almost the best, but give any credit for that to the crew and sponsors who got him there. He'll step on anyone to join the flashy Dineco team, whose marquee car The King (NASCAR legend Richard Petty) is ready to retire. Showing up in both their rear view mirrors is the intimidating Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton).

A three-way tie among them at the top of the points standings sets up a winner-take-all showdown later.

The race that introduces the contenders is a marvelous sequence, making the most of the racing world's velocity, color and speedway personalities. Watching the fans watching the race is half the fun, as they gulp crankcase concession items and cheer through their grills. Modern stock cars resemble cartoon creations anyway, so the leap to Lightning's wall-hugging race tactics is easy. Lasseter is a devoted auto racing fan, and it shows in each detail.

That energy wanes with Lightning's sentimental transition to maturity. He is accidentally dumped from his transport truck (John Ratzenberger) in Death Valley and can't catch up because it's night and race cars don't wear headlights. The next morning, he speeds away on famous Route 66 and crashes into Radiator Springs, angering judge Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), who impounds Lightning until the damage is fixed. It is big news in a sleepy town and gives reporter Sally the Porsche (Bonnie Hunt) something to do.

Lightning also meets the movie's best character, a rusty, trusty tow truck named Tow Mater, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. This is the one your children will be imitating, or pleading to find on toy shelves, or referring to when trucks drive by. Yes, Larry the Cable Guy. Get used to it. Mater steals each of his scenes with buck-toothed affability and insecurity, expressed with Larry's bumpkin drawl. He keeps the Radiator Springs hour interesting.

Nothing is technically wrong with Cars. In some respects it is Pixar's best work, but in others it shows tiny signs of stagnation. Or perhaps that nagging sense of disappointment results from our high expectations, after Toy Story and Finding Nemo gave us such a strong emotional connection to the characters.

The cars in Cars are easy to like and laugh at, but they seldom engage our feelings the way the best kind of spectator sports in movies do. Lasseter's movie has plenty of gas in the tank, but sometimes wastes it idling.

Steve Persall can be reached at (727) 893-8365 or persall@sptimes.com.

Cars

Grade: B+

Director: John Lasseter

Cast: Voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Keaton, George Carlin, Richard Petty, Cheech Marin, John Ratzenberger

Screenplay: Dan Fogelman, Robert L. Baird, Dan Gerson, John Lasseter

Rating: G; brief crude humor

Running time: 116 min.

[Last modified June 6, 2006, 12:54:36]