Star Rating:

Cars 3

Director: Brian Fee

Actors: Owen Wilson

Release Date: Friday 14th July 2017

Genre(s): Animation, Family

Running time: 102 minutes

After a crash puts him out of action during a race against 'next-gen' racer Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), Lighting McQueen (Owen Wilson) has to reevaluate why he's still racing and if he can continue...

Cars has always occupied an odd place in Pixar's stable, even though it has all the parts and tropes of a Pixar film. They're brightly made, feature well-known actors in leading roles, a soundtrack featuring Randy Newman and stories about losing heart and getting it back. Cars 3 is largely the same as this, but there's an added element that the two previous entries didn't have - a sense of perspective on itself.

The film kicks off with an intense race between cocky newcomer Jackson Storm and Lightning McQueen, wherein the reigning champion is dethroned and injured, retiring to Radiator Springs and reconsidering his career. The story shifts gears (heh) and sees McQueen basically doing a Rocky III on it - trying to find his groove again, working with a new trainer and accepting that while he has his limitations, he has courage and experience. That's something that Cars has previously lacked, and something that Cars 3 more than makes up for - a believable, emotional centre to it that older audiences can connect with. In fact, the central story of a racer nearing retirement and facing his age will likely fly over the heads of younger audiences, but it's all loud and bright enough that'll be entertained throughout the brisk ninety-odd minutes.

Owen Wilson is serviceable as Lightning McQueen, and Chris Cooper is loveably crotchety as Smokey - taking over as mentor from the sadly departed Paul Newman, whose character is referenced frequently throughout the film in a way that never feels exploitative or cheap. As well as this, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton crops up in a small cameo whilst Cristela Alonzo plays Cruz, Lightning's peppy trainer. Armie Hammer's villain doesn't really have much to do; pretty much playing the same role he's done many times before with the same, dependable results.

Director Brian Fee manages to keep a sense of speed to the whole film, and the racing sequences really are thrilling to watch and it's clear that he has an understanding of how to cut a racing sequence - even if they're anthropomorphic. Still, the film takes itself far too seriously in parts and the film moves in an all too familiar direction for it to be anything other than just OK for a Pixar film.