Lightning McQueen has been the fastest car around for a while, but a new generation of racers has been leaving him in the dust lately. Determined to make a comeback after a disastrous race, Number 95 seeks help from both a high-tech trainer and old-school practices to prove he’s still the best. Can he do it and beat the record-breaking Jackson Storm, or will he have to admit that it might be time to retire?
At a sneak peek at Kenwood Theatre, the children in the audience were excited to watch the newest adventure of what has become a gang of old friends. Although a wee bit long, the story moves along at a pretty good pace (and with a sweet soundtrack that features songs written by the likes of Tom Petty, Brad Paisley, and even a hat tip to Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days”). Our panel of critics had the following to say about Cars 3: (Warning: Spoiler alerts ahead!)
Trevor (age 6): “The movie was great. I loved the way Lightning and Cruz got along. I would give it five stars. I’m ready to watch it again!”
Jaxon (age 3): “My favorite character is the little Lightning McQueen fan in the stands. I say, “That’s me!” I laugh when Mater makes jokes. It’s my favorite Cars movie.”
Landon (age 6): “The movie was funny and it made me feel good.” Landon also recommends watching it in 3D because “It looks so real and things pop off the screen.”
Evelyn (age 3): “I really liked when the yellow person got to be in the race. It was so funny and it made me laugh a lot.”
David (age 8): “My favorite part was Lightning McQueen at the end, when he let his friend be in the race. I would highly recommend it to other people!”
As for the grown-ups, “Gigi” Linda thought the story was good, and wished that she had seen the other Cars movies first so that some of the characters were a little more familiar to her. Mom Tina loved the details that the movie included – from the mud on the tires to the tire debris on the track. “It brought back memories of watching NASCAR races with my dad growing up. It was a cute movie for kids and a feel good movie for adults. There is plenty of things for kids and adults to enjoy in the movie.”
Overall, Cars 3 is a great follow-up to the previous movies with familiar characters (and a scene-stealing new one) who all team up to teach kids a valuable lesson – that you can be anyone you want to be as long as you believe in yourself. But the bigger lesson might just be directed at the grown-ups in the audience: teaching someone else to believe in themselves is a good way to learn just who we really are.
Cars 3 opens nationwide June 16.