‘Cars 3’ Races Ahead as the Best ‘Cars’ Yet

The Cars series is widely seen as the weakest of the Pixar films with its anthropomorphic automobiles living in their own society. The first film was an underwhelming entry from the masters of storytelling at Pixar and the sequel was so far off the rails that it more or less lost sight of the intentions of the series, to be a Toy Story-like world with cars. But kids love cars and the combination of solid box office and merchandising opportunities have kept the series alive for Cars 3, the second animated sequel that brings the series back to its basics and provides heart and laughs that it easily stands out as the best of the Cars films.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is still tearing up the racing circuit with his good friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) always cheering him on. The good times don’t last long when a new racer hits the track in Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), a next-gen racer that is faster than any other car in history. The constant losing starts to take its toll on the psyche of Lightning McQueen, and he’s involved in a horrible car crash trying to beat Jackson Storm. After a bit of encouragement from his automotive girlfriend Sally (Bonnie Hunt), Lightning McQueen travels to Florida where he’ll train for his triumphant return. McQueen has a new racing boss in Sterling (Nathan Fillion), who is bankrolling an expansive training center run by Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo). The new and expensive training materials aren’t getting Lightning McQueen any faster and the looming threat of retirement hangs over the aging racer. In order to get his speedy ways back, Lightning McQueen must find the wisdom of his late mentor Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) and find his way back to the winner’s circle.

Thematically, Cars 3 is a somewhat odd choice for a children’s movie, with its main character having to accept aging gracefully and learning how to leave behind his glory days. That being said, however, Cars 3 is much more about Cruz understanding that she’s not to allow others to define her. The yellow car dreamed of being a racer only to settle into a life as a trainer. It’s through working with Lightning McQueen that she’s able to accept that she’s meant to be a racer.

There a number of nods to other movies, such as a training session on the beach that is reminiscent of Rocky III with Cruz and Lightning taking on the roles of Rocky and Apollo Creed. More interestingly, Cars 3 becomes a lengthy tribute to the late, great Paul Newman, with the legendary star appearing in flashbacks featuring outtakes of his vocal work from the first film. McQueen talks to Doc Hudson’s old racing compatriots, including cars voiced by Margo Martindale, Chris Cooper, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Time and time again, Cars 3 finds itself as a movie that’s about the passing of the torch on a number of various levels.

More so than the previous entries in the Cars franchise, Cars 3 features a blend of heart and humor that has come to define Pixar, making the sequel feel more like a piece of pure Pixar delight than its predecessors. Director Brian Fee and his team of screenwriters have crafted a story that races along without dull moments and always injecting the story with ample jokes that work for both kids and adults.

Starting out with the short film Lou, Cars 3 is the high water mark for the Cars series with a consistency to its emotional elements and comedy that just weren’t present in the previous entries. The sequel leaves the door open for more entries, with Cruz Ramirez poised to take the mantle from Lightning McQueen. Cars 3 may not stand among the top tier of Pixar movies, but even minor Pixar has a blend of heart and humor that make most other storytellers envious. That wasn’t always present in the previous Cars films, but this sequel has found an extra bit of high octane gas in its tank.