#REVIEW: “CARS 3”

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong

Life is like a racetrack, an endless cycle of trying to pass other people and be the very best you can while facing obstacles that constantly arise. That summarizes the plot of Cars 3 as the Movie addresses some real-life problems such as accepting fate, trying to overcome the odds, friendship and so forth. At the heart of the Movie is a powerful message that does however take some digging to find.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is the best racer in the world until newcomer Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) comes on the scene and repeatedly beats Lightning McQueen. However, this downfall of the great one isn’t due to a loss of passion or ability, it is because there is a new form of racecar out there, a new training method and a new breed of racers. Lightning goes to his sponsor, which has been taken over by Sterling (Nathan Fillion). Sterling has a brand new state-of-the-art training facility that is run by trainer Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), who would rather be a racer but is stuck being a trainer. She takes on the daunting task of training Lightning and having him at the best abd set on beating Storm. This proves to be a daunting task. Lightning doesn’t want to accept that he needs to learn new ways to race, pushes people away, and seems to be incredibly difficult and almost unwilling to change. Can Lightning return to the races and beat Storm, or will the training provided by Cruz prove to not be enough?

Cars 3 enjoyable is truly entertaining for its main audience. It is targeted and marketed to younger children, not unlike other Pixar movies, but this one in particular veers to the young. The Movie pulls together plot points with characters so well-developed in Cars and Cars 2 and it certainly helps that it has such a strong foundation to build-upon.

Owen Wilson who plays the lead character a third time, brings something new to the character, a sense of defeat and desperation. This brings a more human element to the character. However it is newcomers Cristela Alonzo and Armie Hammer who shine bright. Alonzo breathes new life into the Franchise as the push for Lightning to succeed. After the berating she receives, she refuses to be a figurative doormat to Lightning. Armie Hammer who plays the villain in the Film, is not villainous in his demeanor, but more his smug attitude, making him loathed as he dethrones Lightning at the start of the Film.

Cars 3 is another admirable entry to the Pixar catalogue. While lacking a bit of the spark others have, it surely will provide great entertainment for its target audience.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release CARS 3 in on Friday, June 16, 2017.