Cars 2 (2011) review

The first Cars by John Lasseter and the highly esteemed Pixar fortress was probably their weakest feature-length and this sequel actually one-ups that movie with its overwhelming mediocrity. The focus in this one shifts from hot shot speedster Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) to super goofus Mater (voiced ... sigh ... by Larry the Cable Guy), who gets caught up in some James Bond-type International Intrigue that allows the computer guys to render some truly gorgeous sets (London and Paris are simply pristine), but in becoming solely action-motivated, loses virtually all substance (a slip I coincidentally noticed in Toy Story 3). There's a little mention in here about the need for alternative fuel, but it's lost in the explosions and dumb wise-cracks and toilet gags.