Cars is an absolute Disney classic, and despite being released in 2006, it still holds a dear place in many fans’ hearts. Directed by Brian Fee and John Lasseter, the movie is about Lightning McQueen, an arrogant race car who finds his way to a forgotten town on Route 66 called Radiator Springs. After accidentally destroying the town road, McQueen ends up stuck there because now he must fix it.
Surprisingly, he makes many new friends and ultimately finds a deeper understanding of racing and his life while repairing the road. McQueen, with the help of Sally (the town’s attorney), discovers how special Radiator Springs actually is.
After he continues racing, he overcomes his pride and sacrifices a huge moment in his career for something more important. This choice demonstrates how much of an impact his new friends had on him and how much appreciation he has for racing now, even as a rookie. By the end of the movie, Lightning has gone on to win more and more races with his new friends at his side.
Personally, watching this movie when I was younger moved me with passion and exhilaration, and now that I am older, it still delivers a thrilling feeling. This movie is filled with emotional ups and downs, from his intimate scenes with Sally to the insightful teaching moments with Doc Hudson (and you can’t forget the humorous exchanges between him and Matter). I loved how this movie depicted McQueen’s character development from snotty and cocky to confident and compassionate.
This film heavily personifies cars and other vehicles around them, making them seem human-like, which adds to the humor surrounding the film. They use many references that would be usual to humans and add a fun twist to them to make them car-like, such as “grabbing a drink” when they head towards a gas station.
Alexandre Denis, a student at Santaluces High School, shared, “Yeah, that movie is so good, I’d rate it a ten out of ten!” Along with great visuals, it’s amazing entertainment while also teaching children a lesson in humility. I give this movie five well-deserved stars and strongly recommend it.
