There was a time
that Disney/Pixar could do no harm, and we looked forward to their movies. Cars
1 is a 2006 animated comedy film and the final movie Pixar produced
independently before being purchased by Disney. The animation was a critical
and financial success for both Disney and Pixar, especially in merchandise
sales.
The animation
was smooth, the story easy to follow, and the plot simple. It also did a great
job of conveying a message about the life and aspirations of Lightning McQueen.
It’s the only one out of the three Cars films that I truly enjoyed
from start to finish.
The movie features a fantastic ensemble cast in voice acting, and it marked the
final acting role of the legendary Paul Newman.
The plot
of Cars 1 was unique, and I have to give it credit for that. While
I’ve seen animations with anthropomorphic vehicles before, this was the first
with a story I could proudly say I’ve seen and enjoyed.
The animation follows a rookie racer named Lightning McQueen, who is competing
in the Piston Cup championship. The race ends in a three-way tie between
McQueen, retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, and Chick Hicks.
The tiebreaker
race is set to take place in California, and McQueen is desperate to win it,
hoping to break free from the control of his big-league sponsors.
He heads off early to get some practice before the race, but during the long
night drive, his transporter, Mack, falls asleep at the wheel and gets lost.
The bumpy dirt road causes McQueen, still asleep, to roll off the truck and
onto the road.
McQueen wakes up
in the middle of traffic and desperately races down the highway to catch Mack,
but he misses his exit because his headlights aren’t on. He ends up in a desert
town, where he accidentally ruins their pavement.
McQueen finds himself in Radiator Springs, where he learns humility and what it
takes to be a better racer.
What this first
film had over its sequel, Cars 2 (2011),
was the absence of the somewhat dark, thriller-like tone that Cars 2 had. Cars 3 (2017)
returned to the basics, much like this first Cars film, focusing on
the essence of racing.
Cars is a
great introduction to a franchise that Disney has milked for every last penny.
The animation and screenplay are amazing and memorable, and I had a lot of fun
watching it.
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