Pixar's Cars 2 Blu-ray Review

Cars 2, the latest animated feature from Disney and Pixar, reunites racecar Lightning McQueen and his tow truck buddy Mater as they travel around the world for a series of races. Meanwhile, their friendship is tested and Mater manages to get mixed up in an international spy game.

REVIEW
As with all Pixar films, Cars 2 is a great looking film, sporting superb animation and popping colors. Unlike other Pixar films, though, Cars seems geared (no pun intended) to younger kids. It is not nearly as clever as the Toy Story films, and most of the laughs come from sight gags and childish humor.

Kids will enjoy how the characters react to the different cultures portrayed in the film. Adults won't find it to their tastes, unless they are big fans of Larry the Cable Guy. He dominates the jokes, and the story mostly revolves around him.

There are some good lessons here for kids, including how to treat your friends with respect. They will enjoy the colors and the action of cars speeding around. However, the warm fuzziness you usually get from the Toy Story films and Finding Nemo is not here. It is an enjoyable film, just not as sophisticated in its humor as the rest of the Pixar family.

OBJECTIONABLE MATERIAL
There is nothing objectionable in the film, except for some bathroom humor that is strictly for five year olds.

VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATION
Disney has a reputation of doing some high-quality Blu-rays, and for Cars 2, the technical presentation is once again exceptional. A near-perfect picture is served up with a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix, which gives a fantastic surround experience, especially during the race scenes.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Director John Lasseter and co-director Brad Lewis provide an interesting commentary about their inspiration and work on the film. It's strictly for film fans, but fun to listen to.

Two animated shorts are included and are easily the best extras on the disc. The Toy Story "Hawaiian Vacation" short is very funny, and even features all of the original cast. The "Air Mater" cartoon is the lesser of the two, but is still a fun diversion. The cartoon also sets up the world of Planes, the next Pixar franchise coming out net year.

BLU-RAY GRADE: B+
Cars 2 may not be a classic, but it is a fun, safe movie that kids will love. Parents may not be sucked in by it, but they may have fun trying to figure out which famous actors and personalities provide voices in the film (you'll be surprised). The extras are a bit light, but it covers all the bases your kids could want. Parents should definitely add it to their Blu-ray collection.

This review is based on the 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD version. A 5-disc set, which includes a 3D Blu-ray of he film, a digital copy, and additional special features, is also available.