It’s been three years since Lightning McQueen came to the brink of capturing the Piston Cup in his rookie season. You all remember it, because it was yet another example of Pixar kicking the crap out of every other animation studio on the planet. And they didn’t go with something easy, either, like gangs of jungle animals in Manhattan. They did it with NASCAR, an alleged sport that is adored by millions but abhorred by many more millions. How do they do it?

This is the first review in a series of HAII exclusives where we will examine Pixar’s unique ability to entertain kids and adults without ever being the least bit annoying. In the coming months, expect in-depth looks at other modern classics like Nemo, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, and Rattatouille. For now, enjoy reliving CARS.

The Review

Pixar has done it again. Cars is a great movie. It’s not just a “great movie for kids” but in all seriousness, it is a great movie. If you have a high-def system, then you will be even more impressed. Everything about Cars is superb: the animation, the sound, the score, and the voice-talent all pass the HD test with racing colors.

I can only imagine what the sales pitch for this script must have sounded like: “Ok, so the characters are talking cars, and this one guy is a racecar, and he acts like a total celebrity d-bag, and then he ends up in this small town, and he learns about the important things in life. In the end, everybody likes him and he wins the race.” On paper it doesn’t look like much, but leave it to the Pixar guys to turn this idea into greatness.

First of all, the characters ARE talking cars, but the animation is so excellent, and their gestures so realistic, that you actually tend to forget about this aspect of the film. Normally, I am a staunch detractor of anthropomorphisms in children’s films (a la Fly me to the Moon), but in this case it works beautifully.

Second, the storyline is epic in its proportions. Most viewers will immediately notice that Cars is a kind of tribute to Homer’s Odyssey. The lead character, Lighting McQueen, begins as a self-centered jerk who loses his crew on account of his arrogance. However, on his journey home he gets marred in a kind of “No Place” called Radiator Springs. It’s a country town on the immortal Route 66 that McQueen calls “Hillbilly Hell”—aka, Homer’s

Underworld.

In his endless pit stop, McQueen meets a car named Doc Hudson, the Achilles figure in the movie voiced by Paul Newman. Doc is a retired racecar driver who has lost his stomach for the fight. Although he is known as the greatest racecar of all time, nobody cares about him anymore. He hates that everyone gave up on him before he could achieve his fullness of glory (that’s the kleos pursued by the Homeric heroes).

In the Odyssey, Achilles tells Odysseus to stop wasting his time pursuing fame, because everyone ends up with equal status in the underworld. Lightning McQueen almost gives into this temptation. After his transformation into a caring person, he has second thoughts about reentering the world of racing. Indeed, he almost decides to stay in Radiator Springs to be with his beloved Sally, a Porsche voiced by Bonnie Hunt.

Before he leaves, he learns to live a life dedicated to serving others, which is a far cry from the narcissistic McQueen we saw in the beginning of the film, who dropped some great lines like, “I love bein’ me!” The lesson he learns is about the value of hard work and discipline. He decides to start working hard for others, no matter how humble, and it pays off for him later when he wins the final race due to some advice he takes from the celebrated Doc Hudson.

In the end, the whole town rallies around him. He goes on to make something of himself and gives something in return to the cars back in Radiator Springs. The plot reminds us that the community of people (or talking cars, at least) is honorable and valuable. This message is a welcome change from the likes of recent animated social propaganda flicks like Shrek and Shark Tale, whose heroes champion more shallow virtues.

The Kids

My wife and my sons also love this movie. The crew at Pixar have created a full and complete automotive cosmos. The two main parts of this universe, the timeless world of Route 66 and the fast-paced corporate world of NASCAR, are juxtaposed delightfully. And to be honest, the NASCAR races in the movie are much more exciting than those in real life. As usual, the new world Pixar has created is interesting down to final details, like upper level tire-track clouds, motels offering a Lincoln Continental breakfasts, doctor-mechanics, and tiny little Volkswagen “bugs” that buzz around outdoor fluorescent lights. Cars delivers.

The Verdict: Queue it!

This one’s going to be a classic. Boys especially will love it. Be prepared to buy a generous amount of Cars branded merchandise if you have younger children.