tar racecar Lightning McQueen is used to being the center of attention, but in “Cars 2,” the sequel to the immensely successful “Cars,” tow truck Mater becomes the unwitting linchpin of the plot.
We have hopes that “Cars 2” will not be to “Cars” what the Mustang II was to the Mustang, and our confidence is raised by the fact that Owen Wilson is returning as the voice of Lightning McQueen while Larry the Cable Guy is reprising his incomparable voicing of the rusty tow truck Mater.
When Lightning and Mater journey overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix—which is slated to determine the world’s fastest car—Mater finds himself inexplicably enmeshed in international espionage, something for which he is laughably ill-equipped.
Mater wants to help his buddy win the world championship race, but he also feels obligated to save the world by participating in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (ably voiced by Michael Caine).
The aw-shucks tow truck is further distracted by sexy and curvaceous Holley Shiftwell (voiced by Emily Mortimer), who happens to be a spy-in-training with a body that just won’t quit.
The film is directed by Pixar leading light John Lasseter, and the voice cast includes performances by Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson and Thomas Kretschmann.
Fueled with humor, action, and more than a little pathos, “Cars 2” is filled with a panoply of new cars/characters that threatens to delight moviegoers of all ages.
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