Direction: Brian Fee
Cast: Owen Wilson (Lightning Mcqueen), Cristela Alonzo (Cruz Ramirez), Chris Cooper (Smokey), Nathan Fillion (Sterling), Larry The Cable Guy (Mater), Arnie Hammer (Jackson Storm), Ray Magliozzi (Dusty), Tony Shalhoub (Luigi), Bonnie Hunt (Sally), Lea Delaria (Miss Fritter) And Kerry Washington (Natalie Certain)
Ratings: 3.5/5
Cars 3 synopsis
Cars 3 sees Lightning McQueen return to the tracks, only to be facing defeat at the hands of a new rookie driver, Jackson Storm. Jackson Storm is from the new generation of race car drivers that rely on new technology and train on simulators. In one of the races, Lightning crashes and everyone thinks that he should retire. Lightning moves to Radiator Springs where Doc Hudson trained him. He looks for one last chance to win a race. Accompanied by Cruz Ramirez, a technician who wishes to race, Lightning goes through an adventure and trains to go against Storm on the tracks again.
Cars 3 is the third installment the Cars movie franchise. It has been directed by debutante director Brian Fee who has earlier worked as storyboard artist on Cars (2006) and Cars 2 (2011). As part of the promotion, Pixar studios had revealed a life-size Lightning McQueen at the Detroit Auto Show to promote the movie. This is Pixar’s 18th animated movie. It is also the second G-rated film by Pixar after Monster University (2013).
Cars 3 review
Cars 3 return to the screens and Pixar Studios faces a tough competition against Illumination’s Despicable Me 3. Both are the third movie of their respective movie franchise, but has Pixar taken the game a notch up with Cars 3? When Cars (2006) came, it surely made its impact felt with not just the younger generation, but even with the adults. Cars 2 became a disaster when the story focussed more on Mater and turned a racing car legend tale into a James-Bond style spy story.
The studios and the writers have definitely learnt from that as the new Cars 3 movie almost forgets that Cars 2 ever happened. The movie takes after the first movie, where Lightning McQueen comes to Radiator Springs as a young racer ready to give up racing only to be trained and inspired by Doc Hudson. Cars 3 follows a similar plot, bringing the good-old racing back to form the base of the movie. As Lightning travels south to train in the countryside, this is where the Cars 3 finds back its roots. Add the idea of a technician driver who has always dreamt of being a race car driver, a woman wishing to be part of the race and the story turns empowering.
Lightning helping Cruz, almost brings a déjà vu moment, as Doc Hudson helped him. At the same time, Lightning McQueen sees his older self as a rude, cocky, rookie race car driver in Jackson Storm. The story comes full circle and that is what gives the plot its gravity. The dark tone, the whole emotional story with an old racer trying to get his mojo back – they keep the audience hooked to the adventure and to the tale.
With Cars 3, Pixar studios has found back the spirit of making good animated movies like Toy Story and Wall-E that serves both elements of emotions and humor. Owen Wilson has done an absolute brilliant work by voicing the best of feelings and temperament to the character. Other actors have played their part sufficiently well. Cars 3, once again proves that it is just not the technology that the driver should depend upon, all that is needed is some heart and good old racing spirit.
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