Cars has been one of my favourite animation movies of all times. It was not the best animation movie made by Disney but it was classic Disney from start to the finish. It had honour, honesty, the hero dithering and finally the triumph of good intentions over evil and the confirmation of the belief that good guys do not necessarily finish last. The one scene that keeps playing before my eyes even today is the one where Lightning McQueen forfeits his race so that the retiring legend completes his last. This was what respect and integrity was all about, as taught in early childhood and to a guy grasping for answers in a foreign land, it left an indelible impression.
Cars II was a completely different story – an out and out spy thriller with unbelievable car chases, an evil conglomerate, friendship, trust and home coming. In fact in terms of storyline, I would keep it even higher than a Casino Royale. And I know here the purists will shriek in fright and cross their hearts but that’s what it is. The scriptwriters have been both smart and cheeky, marrying images of our very own neighbourhood cars to that of the spy stories of the cold war era.
The other important thing about the movie was that it was about Mater all the way. He is the real hero and has the larger screen presence. Imagine if in a Munnabhai movie, Circuit gets the meatier role. Perhaps that’s what animation lets you do. The bumbling tow truck comes of his own in the movie and uses his honest innocence and at times idiocy to save the world, the Queen of England and of course McQueen.
What I love best about this sequel is that after a long long time comes an animation movie where the storyline is not a slave of its past success. The characters are the same but that’s just about it. There’s finally an alternate world of cars out there who are living out lives of their own and the movies being made out of their lives are all unique and distinct.
The favourite scene? Well the foodie in me can’t forget Mater and his confusion with wasabi. Well, many great men, women and cars in the past have confused it with pistachio ice-creams.
Only in the wonderland of Disney can Maters become Heroes. And that’s why whatever happens with the world of Animation the world over (even happenings like Mars Needs Moms) I still return to Disney to convince myself that you do not ever need to choose between morality and integrity.
Keep Moving Forward. That’s what Disney magic is all about. (Ok that was from Meet the Robinsons)
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