So Mater is the star of Cars2?

[Rip]

The critic I read said it lacks "heart". Many Pixar movies have something in the storyline that tugs at your heartstrings. TS3 was a tear jerker.

That critic never had a best friend. That's all I'm going to say. Watch it and PM me if you agree that it doesn't have "heart".

Personally I am the farthest person from a Nascar type but I actually find Blue Collar Comedy guys and Mater funny. Also love the nod to James Bond - loved The Incredibles.

I did wonder how it would affect the film to have so MANY characters in it. Will be seeing it soon.

I'm not into Nascar either, but what you are seeing from the critics is pretty much base snobbery.

 

[Robo]

Honestly I've never considered a review by any movie critic when deciding what I want to see and whether or not I liked it. In general they are self-important snobs that need to justify their paycheck.

Have you seen the movie? If so, was your opinion of it determined by what some movie critic said? I'm not trying to be an ***, but I really don't understand why anyone cares what any of them say.

Why, then, should I pay any attention to YOUR review or your opinions?

 

[TDC Nala]

I think Tow Mater is funny. But I can't see him carrying a movie.

I also have noticed that film critics (not necessarily Disney/Pixar fans) have already designated this the weakest of the Pixar films. And in general the critics like Pixar films. So I do not think most of them are picking on it because it is Disney/Pixar.

Personally I have trouble getting my brain around talking,self-sentient cars. Talking animals I can handle, but talking cars? Okay.

 

[aimlyles]

Went this morning with DS9 and DS3, ended up leaving half way through because DS3 didn't get into it and was very restless. DS9 was enjoying it though. I was surprised by my youngests reaction as he is HUGE Mcqueen and Mater fan. He sat through TS3 with no problems so I figured he'd enjoy this.

He did enjoy and quietly sit for the TS short at the beginning though

 

[CurlyJo224]

It doesn't necessarily take a snob to not like Mater. It's just different tastes. I'm rather disappointed to hear that apparently that much of the movie focuses on him. Pity.

 

[Wadecool]

Saw it today with my 4yo - better than I expected after reading reviews.

Likes:
Sig Hansen - although I was the only one laughing in the entire theater, this was an awesome pop culture reference
Storyline - didn't think I was going to enjoy it but it grew on me, the whole James Bond thing
Previews and Toy Story short - new Muppet Movie! Need I say more? Oh, and the short was super cute and funny.


Dislikes:
Doc Hudson - yes they paid tribute to him but you don't really know why. And since Izzy is a model T and as old as dirt, there's no explanation that is
presented as to why Doc is gone.
Races - this may be weird, but I felt like the race scenes were a huge setup fora Cars 2 video game. It was like watching the set-up for Mario Kart.
Violent - I know, I know... there's violence in a lot of movies. But really, why so many machine guns?


Overall, I liked it about as much as Kung Fu Panda 2. Way more than Rango (which I did not enjoy) but not near as much as usual Pixar gems.

What happened to Doc Hudson?

 

[bostonsnana]

The movie was not what I expected. It should have been titled Mater's Big Adventure. Lightning had the supporting role-not the lead. The plot was just too much for my 4 year old grandson to absorb. He lost interest about half way through and was ready to go. And I agree with one poster; there was no "heart" in the movie. I always cry at some point in a Pixar film. Nothing in Cars 2 to tear up about.

 

[simzac]

What happened to Doc Hudson?

The voice of Doc Hudson was Paul Newman, who has passed away since the first movie was released.

 

[mesaboy2]

They want to appeal to the NASCAR crowd, so 2-3 year olds is about right.

I love the astute generalization (read: stereotype) here.

 

[Rip]

Why, then, should I pay any attention to YOUR review or your opinions?

Um, show me where I said you should.

Good grief, don't see it, let a few strangers that basically don't like "simpletons" dictate what you think. All I suggested was that rather than relying on a few snobs to tell you whether you like it or not, give it a look yourself and make up your own mind.

Here's what most of them have a problem with, and I quote:

Geoff Berkshire of Metromix gives the movie two out of five stars and laments the film's "forced emphasis on misunderstood country bumpkin Mater." That story, he writes, "never achieves the intended emotional weight -- he’s a rube with a heart of gold, a simpleton out of place next to Pixar’s more complex and multilayered heroes."

 

[Experiment_626]

Eh, what do they know? Roger Ebert gave 3.5 out of 4, and I've seen at least one or two others that gave it good marks. Honestly, they just didn't like the idiot redneck. I think a majority of viewers will disagree with them.

While I don't think it was the "idiot redneck" aspect that turned off all the critics, it did seem to be a disproportionate part of many of the reviews I read. I did read as many as I could to try to see why they panned it, and that was a recurring theme. There was also a significant "I didn't really like the first movie much anyway" component to a lot of them. I did read Roger Ebert's review and was heartened by it, as I usually agree with him on movies we both happen to see.

The poor reviews won't keep me away. Pixar has earned my trust. Even if I don't like this one, they've still earned my trust and I'll be just as excited for Brave next year.

Scott

 

[defendthehill]

We saw it last night. I went with my DD almost 8, my Disney Nephew who is 4, my sister, and my parents. All four adults thought the movie was average. The two kids thought it was good.

The star is certainly Mater, I will disagree with PP's and say the World Grand Prix is the subplot and the spy thread is the main story. But regardless this is not in the same ballpark as TS3.....or Tangled.

Visually the movie is fantastic. Lot's of cool scenes and spy tricks etc... but the plot is dull and slow moving. For me, I put Cars 2 in the same category as Princess and The Frog......average and won't see it again till it hits video.

 

[twokids0204]

Don't like Mater??

I respectfully disagree...

Git 'er done!!!!

 

[PoohsFan1]

Doc Hudson - yes they paid tribute to him but you don't really know why. And since Izzy is a model T and as old as dirt, there's no explanation that is presented as to why Doc is gone.
Races - this may be weird, but I felt like the race scenes were a huge setup fora Cars 2 video game. It was like watching the set-up for Mario Kart.

I disagree with your first dislike and agree with you on your second dislike. I thought the tribute to Doc Hudson was nicely done. When I first learned of a Cars 2 movie I immediately wondered what they were going to do with Doc Hudson's voice, I don't know of any actor that can imitate that voice like they did to take the place of George Carlin (Filmore), then again with Paul Newman being a legend that he is, I don't think I would of wanted them to find another actor anyways IMHO. As for the Race scenes...I completely agree with you on that one. As I was watching the scenes, I couldn't help but notice that the cars all looked like toys and the backdrops looked really fake. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the movie, however the first one will always be my favorite, and I was very glad to see it (watching it in 3D added to the experience). I took my DDs who are 7 and 10 and they liked every bit of it too.

 

[InfiniteTape]

Lots of gun shots, very action packed, the bad guys want to kill lightning McQueen, kind of like an animated James bond movie. If these were humans the movie would probably have a pg13 rating.

Potential SPOILER here, though it's a common spy movie element...

Bruce Campbell's character is also tortured on screen, and is supposedly killed moments later while the camera is focused on someone else. A bit surprising for a G rated movie.

 

[jenrose66]

Me and DH took the boys (2 1/2 and almost 5) to see Cars opening day as a treat for DS's last day of Pre-K.

Mater does have a pretty big role...but so does Holley and Finn so I would say that storyline is the main story and Lightning McQueen and the rest are an after thought.

I guess that was kind of a disappointment for me. I mean the animation was great but it was in my opinion an adult movie in cartoon form. There was lots of gun violence and violence in general, which I don't care for.

However, the kids enjoyed it and there are funny parts...but my boys really liked the racing aspect of the first Cars and the character development. I could tell they would have enjoyed more racing.

All in all, I'm sure we'll get it on video but I thought the first one was way better.

 

[Mickeysgirl34]

I don't know why,but I enjoyed Cars 2. I thought I was going to fall asleep,but I stayed awake.

I'm a big Mater fan and didn't mind that he had a major role. Shouldn't the sidekick get a chance to shine? Most of the little kids in the theater didn't understand the movie. As for me,I understood everything.

The movie is all about racing combined with secret agent stuff,what most boys love. My neighbor's brother wants to be a spy. I really liked Finn and Holley. Now,I want to be a spy and have cool gadgets.

My dad however found Cars 2 to be really weird. He liked the first Cars movie. I personally thought Cars 2 was better.

I'm going to see it again tomorrow, so I hope my opinion about the movie doesn't change when I'm around my friends.

 

[pigletto]

I have.

Mater isn't so much the "star" as he has a significant subplot. The story is still about a world-wide grande prix type race that Lightning McQueen is trying to win for the gang back home, but there's a whole "spy vs. spy" subplot that's really pretty entertaining.

The kids I was with (ages 5 and 9) had no trouble figuring out what was going on. As is normal for Pixar films, there were jokes that went over their heads and were aimed more at older kids or adults, but for the most part, it was totally kid-friendly. And the film really uses the 3-D technology to its advantage. There are some very striking race scenes, and some of the "scenery" is spectacular.

I agree with this summary completely. We just got back. DS 7 enjoyed it a great deal. Both Dh and I thought it was cute. I enjoyed the first one more, but it was a novelty then.
Overall, we weren't disappointed.

 

[jenrose66]

Well considering that Cars was one of their lowest grossing (Outside their first 2 films, when they were still a baby), and lowest rated, anyone who doesn't see that this is a marketing ploy is severely misguided. I equate it to Batman & Robin, where they ignored plot and went with "What kinda cool toy can we make?"

Sure, some people will enjoy it, but this is a huge step back for Pixar. If we use Rotten Tomatoes as a guide, this is their first Rotten film, and it's getting close to very rotten right now. In fact, all of Pixar's films have been 90% or better, save for Cars, which was at 73% (With the sequel at 30%). Pixar obviously has talent, with the ability to create a wonderful 3D world to immerse us in, and tell a story. Now they are going into sequel mode when the only film besides Toy Story that should have had a continued story was, obviously, the Incredibles. With Cars 2, there seems to be no progession of characters. Just a new setting, and new plot, with a whole bunch of characters (Especially international ones) to market it all over the world.

I never knew that Cars was considered such a failure. I love the movie, everything about it. I'll admit I had no interest in it when it came out, but then my son came into my life and my little boy loves cars then came another little boy that loves cars so I've seen Cars at least 100 times and I like it more every time I see it.

Personally I hope they make a Cars 3 and return to Radiator Springs to do further character development. In some of the Cars books out they have story lines of cars from all over going to Radiator Springs to a huge racetrack built there. I'm sure they could do something fun with that.

 

[iluvwdw5]

I thought it was completely inappropriate for my boys ages 6 and 4 ... too much violence! After an hour they had had enough and were over it.. so unlike them. My 8 y/o and husband enjoyed it but not I! I wish I would have got it on Netflix ... I hate to waist money on a bad movie And also - how about this, name it properly!? This film was about Mater, not so much McQueen! McQueen was def not the star in this film. I LOVE Pixar, but this film will not be purchased for my boys once it is out on DVD. Sorry .. no love in my heart for this one Pixar.