 |
 [an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
|
|
directed by John Lasseter; (2006)
Reviewed by
Film Rating:
|
I tried very hard to go into the theater with an open mind. But it's hard to be unbiased towards a Pixar film when you're a) a traditionally-trained 3D animator, b) a fan of The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, and other Pixar films, c) an alumni of the animation program that John Lasseter went through, and d) someone who has a vested interested in the animation industry.
So I wanted to like this film. At the same time, I wanted to give it an honest appraisal, to understand why some people didn't like it. Before going in, I'd heard that the film had a slow start, boring lulls, and one family actually walked out towards the end because their kids got restless. I'd also heard some rationalizing: "It's not as bad as the reviews say" and "It's hard to get into a movie about talking cars."
Well, the movie was fun in a "heh heh" sort of way. It showed off Pixar's flair for fun personalities, comedic dialogue, fluid animation, and beautiful rendering of everything. As I drove home from the theater, I half-expected the cars on the freeway to talk to me. Throughout the movie, I had no problem believing in a world of talking vehicles. Suspension of disbelief was not a problem.
Here's an outline of problems I did see in the movie:
- Unlikable protagonist
It's possible to have a hero who's a jerk--Indiana Jones, or even Woody in Toy Story--who's also likable. Lightning McQueen starts off as an unlikable jerk. He's not trying to save priceless artifacts or protect his neighbors, he's all about me-me-me. Why should we care what happens to him next? His character changes, so he becomes more likable, but he starts off as someone that we can't identify with or care about. I think this is probably the film's biggest weakness. - Predictable
Every triumph and failure of the hero was predictable. I longed for some unforeseen plot twist. This is more of a problem for adult audience members, who've had experience with common plot formulas and thus a more developed sense of what's coming next. Personally, this was my biggest problem with the film. - Slow-paced romantic subplot
Kids don't like drawn-out, unfunny romantic tension. They fast-forward through gooey love talk to get to the rest of the plot. Hell, most adults don't like corny, predictable boy-meets-girl. The film would probably have held more interest if the romance was either spiced up, or replaced with some other type of subplot. - Preachy nostalgia theme
Much of this film was a longing for "the good old days." How many young audience members (under the age of 40, I mean) will really be touched by the splendor of old Route 66? I reckon there will be a few, but not enough to get the teary-eyed reactions that I suspect the writers were aiming for. Furthermore, that specific nostalgia only applies to a section of the United States. Will audiences in other countries lament the loss of neon cafes and homey little rest stops? I'm not trying to belittle the good things about 1950's and 60's Americana; I just resent the way this film forced the theme, even giving it a song montage. I could believe in a world inhabited by vehicles, but I found it very hard to believe that a nostalgic glimpse into the past could change a selfish hot-rod into a caring, generous guy. It rang false.
|
|
|
|
All material Copyright © 2024 Abby Goldsmith, except where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission from the author. Document updated: 05 September 2016 - 17:39:40 |