Cars 2 38% Fresh

[onions]

ryan pointed this out to me earlier today, but reviews are trickling in at rotten tomatoes for Cars 2. as of this writing, cars 2 is standing at 38% fresh. super sad face. given pixar's history of successful films, i guess it was only a matter of time before they make a dud. still, with their peer review process in place, i find it hard to believe that no one said that this movie was going to suck. i wonder if this is disney's doing, that the bigwigs demanded a mater-centric movie. i kind of had my suspicions that this movie would be all about mater; all the commercials and previews led me to believe so. I was hoping i was wrong, but now that i'm right, i really don't want to be. I keep thinking this is a bad dream or some beta version of the movie. i don't know, man. this just makes me sad.

[cas]

I keep forgetting this thing even exists. Every time I see a commercial for it, I think of all the toy displays I've been seeing at every store.

It screams Disney cash-in to me and given the material, I'm wouldn't be surprised, since Cars seems to be a big, fat cow half-full of unpasteurized milk. The first film was mildly entertaining, but a forgettable experience, the sequel looks to be in the same category. I'm still debating whether or not to see it. I've skipped a bunch of movies this summer, because everything looks awful--I've only gone to a cinema once or twice in the past 6 months (the last film I saw was Super 8, which I thought was okay, not nearly as good or interesting as the films it pays homage to).

Maybe I'll wait to get it cheap on bluray.
Very cheap.

[sparkart]

I was a bit surprised when I found out a large new area in Disney's California Adventure is going to be Cars-themed, but of course it makes perfect merchandising sense. The little girls have their Princesses, the boys have their Cars (TM).

What kind of a car is Lightning McQueen, anyhoo? In the first movie he sported a retro paintjob reminiscent of a first gen Corvette. But he's shaped kinda like a Viper. A CorViper, maybe?

[Crusader]

Cars was the weakest of the Pixar films to date, so it's no surprise that the sequel is less than amazing. I am heartened by the prequel to Monsters Inc. that is coming. The Incredibles had a great retro flair, and seems ripe for a sequel as well.

[Jay]

I always felt Pixar's appeal was in their originality and I was hoping they would stay away from sequels. However, Toy Story 3 proved to be great, so I had faith in them up until now. Cars 2 will probably be the first Pixar film that I'll wait to see on DVD.

I have a feeling they'll bounce back next year with Brave.

[Mister Ed]

I am heartened by the prequel to Monsters Inc. that is coming.

I'm not. The original was, to me, an obviously stand-alone movie. This is the first I've heard of it being a prequel, which is slightly more promising I guess, but still seems totally unecessary, and inexplicable.

The Incredibles had a great retro flair, and seems ripe for a sequel as well.

I agree, as do most of those who viewed the first film as far as I can tell. Yet for some reason, whever asked, they say that it isn't in the cards. Monsters Inc. 2 or Cars 2 seem as out of place as an Up 2 or Ratatouille 2, IMHO, especially when a much more logical option for a sequel is just lying around WAITING to be made.

[Solo]

I think the first quote on the RT reviews block says it all:

Not that Cars 2 is an actively bad animated film. It's just sort of an average animated film.

Pixar has set the bar so high that eventually something has to be the definitive low point. It's probably going to be the "worst" Pixar film... but it's still a Pixar film.

You have to keep in mind that Cars 2 wasn't made for critics. It was made for kids. Kids who've been buying the toys for five years straight and still want more. Cars was by far Pixar's most profitable merchandise franchise so of course this is a thinly veiled cash in... But most kids don't know about that, and probably wouldn't care if they did. "What that mom and dad? They made a new movie with characters I love, and I'll probably get a bunch of new toys? How is that a bad thing?"

Also, most kids probably don't know who Larry the Cable Guy is. They just know Mater. Critics on the other hand seem put off simply by his presence in the films. I'm sure focusing on him as the central character this round immediately knocked off 50% from the score. By the way, viewer reviews put it at 77% right now, which is better than how Toy Story 2, The Incredibles, and A Bug's Life fared.

[Flynn]

Pixar has said repeatedly they won't do an Incredibles sequel without Brad Bird, so if we do get to see one, it won't be for a while.

As for Cars 2, this isn't the first less-than-strong movie they've made (Although that's really a matter of opinion). Depending on who you talk to, Monsters Inc., Cars, and A Bug's Life don't rank nearly as highly as the rest of the films, for various different reasons. Personally, I think Cars was their first major misfire, just because of how uninspired it was and how annoying the central characters were (I cannot stand Mater for the life of me). But then that's just me. Where Cars 2 is unique is that it is the first Pixar film to not score highly with the critics- correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all of the other Pixar films had an 80% or higher on RT, this being the first to sink below.

[TheBohrok]

I saw it yesterday with expectations set low, hoping only for a good time, and pretty much got that. I laughed at the numerous sight gags and subtle jokes, but after it was over, I had no desire to see it again and felt like, "Was that it?" The whole thing just felt very mediocre and lacking in heart. This is the first Pixar movie I kinda feel indifferent about. All the others I have liked very much, even Cars which is near the bottom of the list for me. I suppose I knew their streak would end eventually, just a bit surprised that it did.

[Walter Boy]

After reading all the reviews I was pretty disappointed, although at the same time I was happy. I'm really hoping this makes Pixar work harder on films. I think competition from Dreamworks has helped push Pixar toward getting better, although in my opinion I've only ever cared for one or two of their (Dreamworks) films. Let's hope this box office 'disappointment' does the same. I enjoy Pixar films, although when it comes to animation I'm more of a classic Disney fan (I have a soft spot in my heart for traditional hand drawn animation.) but I'm sure the good folks at The Lamp will continue churning out good films.

Thank goodness 2012 will bring an 'original' Pixar film. I've seen the trailer and poster for Brave, and I'm already excited!

[GIR3691]

This movie is clearly aimed at very young boys. Mater is only good in very very small doses. Making him the main character was a huge mistake. I enjoyed the first Cars. It was okay. I don't want to ever see it again, but it wasn't a bad movie. It was a bit too long. This one looks to be more of the same, except with a Bond theme rather than a nostalgic look at Route 66. And Mater. Lots and lots of Mater.

I think people are hating it because they want something on the same plane as Wall-e, Up, Finding Nemo, and other incredibly good Pixar films. This is clearly aimed at young boys to sell toys. This one's not for us.

Can't wait for Brave next year.

[duetzFanz1]

The only reason to see Cars 2 is to see the trailer for Brave. It looks like Pixar is returning to fine form with this new movie. I didn't like the first Cars. It was long and drawn out. Cars 2 is even longer or it felt that way. It was the first mindless Pixar movie to date. It was like Cars with transformers.

[Faulconbridge]

Mrs. Faulconbridge and I took our boys (8 and 5) to see it. The boys thought it was great and I enjoyed it too. I learned how to drive in a Pacer and it was cool to see a bunch of them in the film. Is it the best movie Pixar ever made? No. But it is fun and goofy and a treat for boys who love cars. And a "bad" Pixar movie is still better than most other movies out there for kids (Garfield, Marmaduke, etc.).

[Mister Ed]

For those who have seen it, I have been hearing some disturbing things about the film and I wonder what your take is. I have heard surprise from a great many sources that this film got a G-rating, with stories of beatings, gunplay, torture and deaths that must have been given a pass simply because the characters are not human in appearance. I've also heard of young kids being seriously distraught because they were afraid for the lives of the main characters.

I HAD been planning to take the whole family to the film, given that they all loved every other Pixar film, but now I'm wondering if it might be too intense for the younger ones, ages 3 and 5. So far the only film they have ALL seen in the theater is Tangled, and they really liked that, but this sounds like it contains much more that would be potentially disturbing. I'm leaning toward just taking my 10-year old, but as you might imagine, this would likely be a source of bitter complaint, especially given that the film is heavily marketed toward ALL ages of kids.

[Darth Vaultous]

I saw it and enjoyed it alot. I Thought it was really fun and enjoyable to see this vehicle-world again in a film, and this ime seeing other parts of the world like Toyko, Italy, Paris, and England. The action was a blast to see and this film was full of it.

Now I didn't think this film was quite up to par with Pixar's best, or even as good as the original "Cars". That being said though, I don't think that this is Pixar's worst film at all. In my opinion Pixar's worst was "Up". And as far as the whole "worst pixar film" debate, i've seen people say it's "Cars", "A Bug's Life", "Wall-E" and even "Toy Story 3", so It's purely the opinion of the viewer.

[Flynn]

In my opinion Pixar's worst was "Up".

ಠ_ಠ

Okay, you're going to have to explain yourself there.

[Solo]

I've also heard of young kids being seriously distraught because they were afraid for the lives of the main characters.

I don't know if anything will beat the Toy Story 3 trash incinerator scene but I haven't seen Cars 2 yet.

[onions]

i wonder if the haters of Up are from a younger generation.

[Mister Ed]

i wonder if the haters of Up are from a younger generation.

How much younger? I mean, I'm 38, and I loved it, and my kids all loved it, too (oldest is 10). My parents loved it. And younger parents that I know loved it. What does that leave? Teenagers?

This is actually the first I've heard of anybody, of any age, disliking (or even not loving) "Up". It baffles me.

[onions]

Robzula and I had a discussion in our chat room about Up. He, too, did not like the movie and it baffled me. i only theorized that it was a younger generation, and i think you nailed it, specifically teenagers, because there isn't really much in the movie that would be appealing. no party appeal, no explosions, well-choreographed action sequences, etc. so i think for some the movie is lost on them.