Cars 2 does everything a good sequel isn’t supposed to do:
- It focuses on a minor character from the first film while essentially sidelining the expected main character.
- It doesn’t follow the same story pattern as the first film.
- It doesn’t even logically follow as a natural progression of the original’s story.
Despite all of this, I can’t help but enjoy it immensely. I like it much more than the original Cars, though that’s not saying much. The only reason I give that movie a pass is because it’s the first film I ever saw in a theater with the girl who would become my wife.
Cars 2 was a pleasant surprise. I avoided it for years because I had heard nothing but mixed to negative things about it. But when I finally sat down and watched the silly thing, I found myself immediately hooked. There’s just something about spy movies that makes them incredibly compelling to me. When done right, a la most James Bond movies and the original Bourne Identity, they have an air of self-confidence and cleverness that keeps me glued to my seat the whole time. And Cars 2 has that in spades.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s break down exactly why Cars 2 didn’t break down for me. Continue reading
