Cars 2

Larry the Cable Guy, Owen Wilson, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, John Turturro, Joe Mantegna, Franco Nero, Jenifer Lewis, Sig Hansen, Vanessa Redgrave, Cheech Marin

Cars 2 is an independent film having no bearing on the prequel Cars. The action begins at sea amidst sinister oil rigs infiltrated by British spies Finn McMissile (an Aston Martin) and his aide Holley Shiftwell, who use all the weaponry at their disposal — wings, heavy arsenal, and underwater capability — to make a nocturnal escape with their dignity and paint jobs intact. In the American desert, the spiffy red Lightning McQueen is hot-rodding around with his tow-truck friend Mater when he’s persuaded to enter an upcoming series of races in which big shot Land Rover Sir Miles Axlerod hopes to prove the viability of his revolutionary clean fuel Allinol as a substitute for gasoline, which won’t deplete the planet’s shrinking oil reserves. Axelrod wants to prove it in a World Grand Prix to be run in England, Japan and Italy.

The plot highlight is that Lightning McQueen ends up in a championship duel with the Italian driver Francesco Bernoulli. At the same time, Lightning and Mater find themselves in the middle of a clandestine war between the forces of fossil and alternative fuels, involving the British secret agents Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell.

The John Lasseter and Brad Lewis- helmed Cars 2 features a wide range of cars and more action than films like say Fast Five; it is noticeably more rambunctious. The race events sparkle with crowd excitement — spectators of course being cars. No memory of the original is required to get one’s bearings, as this wonderfully designed and animated sequel stands on its own four tires. The voice talents — be it Michael Caine, Larry the Cable Guy, Owen Wilson, Eddie Izzard in starring roles or Joe Mantegna, Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave in a brief sound byte — lend their classic touches to the characters they voice.