Cars 3 (2017)

Cars 3 (2017)

The Cars franchise still has some gas left in the tank to finish the race

January 26, 2024

5 minutes

Adventure, Animated, Animation, Armie Hammer, Bonnie Hunt, Brian Fee, Cars 3, Chris Cooper, Cristela Alonzo, Daniel Lawrence Whitney, Disney, Movie Review, Nathan Fillion, Owen Wilson, Pixar, Reel Interpretations, Rotten Tomatoes, Sports, Tony Shalhoub

When it comes to Pixar, people often associate the trailblazing animation studio with films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and Inside Out as well as the sequels and prequels they have gone on to continue those characters journeys. And then there’s the black sheep of Pixar, the distant cousin who is never around but demands to sit at the main table during every holiday gathering. That franchise is Cars and the sequels it has spun out alongside the unofficial spin-off Planes rarely gets its due. Talking cars hasn’t quite carved out its own legacy compared to the staples that made the studio what it is today but there’s a lot left in the tank to get to the finish line for a photo finish.

Now with its 3^rd film in the main franchise, the trio of films are no strangers to borrowed plot lines stitched together with shifting gears, fierce competition and homages to small town America of old. The same way The Fast and the Furious is a direct rehash of Point Break, Cars 3 stitches together almost every single sports movie in existence to spit out its own Frankensteins monster. There are plenty of sports movie tropes that can be found in Cars 3 around every left turn made, some speeding into the pole position while majority crashing and burning, totaling the car, never to be seen again competing for the coveted piston cup.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) now a long time veteran and 7-time piston cup winner begins to show signs of slowing down, his once shiny frame is now rusted over, and his glory days are a distant memory. Several of Lightning’s rivals retire but Lightning remains only to be beaten by a new wave of rookies with tailored training programs at high-tech facilities, relying on analytics than feeling to create the fastest racing machine. Achieving a top speed of over 200 mph is Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), a rookie who quickly drives Lightning out of town, beat up and broken.

The car once known as speed is now burnt rubber, left in the dust while the next generation earns the checkered flag and the spotlight that comes with it. But Lightning isn’t done proving himself yet. New Rust-eze team owner Sterling (Nathan Fillion) decides to give Lightning one more shot at glory before becoming the companies best salesman of mud flaps. Tasked to get Lightning in racing shape to compete is Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) seeing the opportunity as her “senior project”, kicking a car when he’s already down in the dumps.

It’s at this point in Cars 3 that the training montage akin to nearly every Rocky movie takes over. Some of which won’t move the speedometer and some that plant the seeds for the films surprisingly heartfelt purpose. Unlike Cars 2 that leaned to heavily on being a talking car version of a James Bond story, leaving a sour taste of motor oil once all was said and done. During this middle section of Lightning’s underdog story of redemption, he learns that Cruz never wanted to be a trainer, that she had a chance at being a racer but never took it, only to be forced into a career she never wanted in the first place.

Settling for less than you deserve is something many can relate to – taking a job to make ends meet and getting stuck in that position for the rest of your life, or in Cruz’s case her warranty. But if one person can see your potential, to see what you were made for than nothing should get in your way. Just like when Herman Boon and Bill Yoast saw the best in a group of high school football players from different races come together and beat racial segregation. Not that Cars 3 goes that in-depth to explore traditional gender roles and glass ceilings but the potential for something bigger is there.

These are anthropomorphic talking cars after all. Don’t expect the same depth that Wall-E or Up has. Still, Cars 3 has its bright spots among the weathered wear and tear. The animation is at its sleekish and most breathtakingly crisp, colors pop and the photorealism of twisted metal during the races creates the disbelief that you’re watching an animated film. With every film Pixar puts out, they set a new standard, the bar raises higher for themselves to improve upon and every other studio to catch up with.

The Cars franchise takes an acquired taste to root for and step into the pit – not everyone will be able to handle the top speeds, torque and horsepower these racecars have but there are flashes of that same Pixar brilliance we’re used to when the film isn’t bogged down by its numerous annoying side characters. Cars 3 had a lot to prove after the disappointing middle film and it seems that Lightning McQueen can be the spokes-car for championing this franchise to keep going. Without any “ka-chows” of course – the less of those the better. With nothing to lose and a little bit of guts, only then can we prove the doubters wrong - sometimes an old car can still keep up with the newer models.