Racing, conspiracies and environmental issues, wrapped in action filled animation, constitutes the main ingredients of ”Cars 2”. The film is entertaining, but the story is not as good as we’ve come to expect from Pixar.

 Plot
”Cars 2” is Pixar’s sequel to the highly successful ”Cars”, which told the story of Lightning McQueen and his battle to win the Piston Cup. The fun characters, the whimsical humour, the amazing animation and an excellent story made the film a massive hit among children and adults alike.

In the sequel, Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater get involved in an international spy scheme connected to the oil industry. The James Bond-ish British agent Finn McMissile is about to solve a mystery regarding a fuel conspiracy. Professor Zündapp (or Z) and his evil companions do their best to put an end to Finn and his investigation, and Mater gets mixed up in the fight.

At the same time, Lightning McQueen competes in a series of Grand Prix races in Japan, Italy and London. Professor Z destroys the racing cars one by one, and finally, only Lightning McQueen and his Italian arch rival Francesco remain. But can Mater save them from being destroyed?

Throughout the film, the friendship between Lightning McQueen and Mater is put to the test, and the future of the environmental fuel will be decided.

Quality and Theme
”Cars 2” is made from the same recipe as most sequels; turn up the pace, add more action and don’t bother that much with the plot. The story combines racing and an agent adventure, but the film doesn’t really allow you to get immersed in any of the stories. The small town setting is also missing, and this was an important part of which made the first film a charming and magic experience. As well as this, the lack of depth to the story makes the film a bit boring, even during action filled sequences.

Suitability
The film has a U rating, but due to some gloomy scenes and powerful effects we recommend the film for children from 6 years of age.

Conclusion
On the one hand, the film has many fun scenes and hilarious moments. On the other hand, we are a bit disappointed, as we have come to expect more from Pixar. We believe children will be entertained by the story, while adults will be disappointed by the lack of depth.

Facts

Director: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis Genre: Animation, Action, Comedy Language: English Nationality: USA Production Company: Disney/Pixar Length: 1h 52 mins Production Year: 2011 Age Limit: U Suitability: Family BBFC’s Consumer Advice: Contains mild violence.

Our Assessment: OK

Other reviews:

The Guardian

The Telegraph