Cars (2006)

It's All About Racing and a Teamwork

Stars   :  Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, Michael Keaton, Richard Petty
Score  :  7.2 / 10

 

The movie begins with a series of prestigious car racing competition in the United States, Dinoco 400, Piston Cup Series. At this season, there are three riders are favored to win the championship position. They are the legends, The King (Richard Petty), a 1970 Plymouth Superbird car, blue color, number 43. The King is a champion of Piston Cup last year. This time is the last season for The King before he retired. In second place, Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton), a 1980 Buick Regal car, green color, number 86. He always in the runner-up position after The King. This year, he is very ambitious to win number one position. In third place, a new racer, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), a Rookie car, red color, number 95. McQueen can compete with the opponents although as a new racer. 

The match was going very tight and exciting. In early laps, The King led, while McQueen and Chick Hicks were behind him. Chick Hicks did everything to be a champion. He crashed into McQueen intentionally. McQueen thrown out of track and was in the last position. Chick Hicks also crushed his opponent and caused a big crush that involves a lot of cars behind him. McQueen had to reduce his speed and avoid the crash. He could pass the crash, while The King and Chick Hicks go to the Pit Stop to change the tires. McQueen then led in first position. When Chick Hicks knew it, he hurried back to the track.

Dinoco 400, Piston Cup Series
From top of left (clockwise): the King, Chick Hicks, McQueen and Piston Cup

McQueen and Chick Hicks on track

The match only left some laps. McQueen go to the Pit Stop to change tires. All the crew was waiting and preparing to change his tire. But, McQueen just ask to add gas and get back to the track. He felt very confident that the tires can be used until the end of match. When entering the last lap and almost reach the finish line, his both rear tire were burst. McQueen lost his speed, while The King and Chick Hicks are not far behind him. They entered the finish line with a bit time difference. The jury announced that the winner of Piston Cup this season will be decided from the last match that will be held in California.

The whole crew became angry and very disappointed to McQueen. McQueen assume that the winning was due to his own work, Only One Man Show, not teamwork. McQueen was very arrogant. The King approached McQueen and congratulated to him. He was amazed on talent and McQueen courage. But he said McQueen, stupid, because it was assumed that a winning as a result of his own work, without team. The King gave an advice to him for the wise and must have a good team and crew. The winning will not come without teamwork.

The riders and crew went to California. A trailer truck, Mack, was transporting McQueen to California. In the middle of way, Mack was sleepy and need to rest for a while, but McQueen forbade him to rest. McQueen wanted to arrive first in California before Chick Hicks. He promised to accompany Mack talking along the way, so Mack would not sleepy. But McQueen broke his promised. He was sleepy and fell asleep. Mack had to fight the sleepiness alone. 

McQueen and Radiator Spring Locals

In the evening, Mack met a group of car modified. They tease on Mack to fall asleep and lost control. An ornament which is in Mack, fell and hit on a back door automatic panel. So, the back door was opened and caused McQueen slipped out of the truck. They do not realize the incident. Mack continued the trip, while McQueen left in the middle of street in asleep. McQueen awakened by the sound of car horns and realized that he was in the middle of street alone. He tried to find Mack, but failed. McQueen is getting lost because he did not have lights. Mostly, every race car has no lights, because the lights on the track are very bright. McQueen then headed to the Interstate and through the Radiator Spring area with high speed. Sheriff, a police Radiator Spring, tried to catch McQueen because it was driving at high speed. McQueen tried to escape and went into Raditor Spring downtown. He made a mess, causing the damage of main street before finally getting caught.

The next day, Mack arrived in California without McQueen. The world of racing was shocked by the loss of McQueen. In the meantime, Sheriff took McQueen to the court to meet Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), a judge in Radiator Spring. Doc decided to put McQueen in prison, but Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt), a 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera, gave a suggestion to Doc. Sally suggested that they would release McQueen, if he willing to repair the main road. McQueen was forced to accept it while still figuring out how to escape from Radiator Spring, because the final match of Piston Cup Series will begin soon.

McQueen repair the main road

Cars is a Pixar animated movie that has been released so long, in 2006. The sequel, Cars 2, has also been released in 2011. I have never watched Cars 2 and this is my first time watched Cars, so it could say that I have been left. I actually do not antipathy to animated movie, but because of Cars has a theme of car, which is identical with men, so I missed it. But I was so little disturbed, when my friend, who has a good sense of movie, said twice that Cars is a good movie. So I decided to watch it.

Cars is not only convenient watch for men, but also women and for all ages. It is very unique when looking at all the figures used in this movie are cars. Each car is not made carelessly, but refers to prototype some cars in the real word. One source (Trivia on IMDB, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317219/?ref_=nv_sr_1), said some cars were used in movie as character, such as Chevrolet, Porsche, Mazda, Chrysler and many more. The cars were displayed with a various colors and filled by suitable dubbing, so it can produce a match character for every figure. One example is Sally, which appear as a beautiful woman with a blue Porsche. Some famous racer in the world also participated in a dubbing, Richard Petty, an American NASCAR former racer and Michael Schumacher, a former racer Formula I from Germany.

Sally and McQueen

There are two things to be told by Cars, the racing and tough times faced by McQueen in Radiator Spring. McQueen who gets special treated in racing, gets the opposite in Radiator Spring. Nobody know his name. Although told about two things contradictory, but Cars managed combine it into an interesting story. It was not so easy to guess what will happen in Cars. So when the film was close to the end, there will be many surprises. Some comedy scenes are also very fresh and entertaining, especially when a group of car modified tease on Mack or when McQueen playing with Mater on field.

Cars is the one of the successful animated movie. Its toys and merchandise are very popular until now. In the beginning of 2013, I was asked to help my friend to design a birthday gift card with Cars theme for her son. The moral message to be conveyed by Cars to be humble and always be able to cooperate in a job, made this movie can embrace all genders and ages.

McQueen and Mater on field