Lightning McQueen begins training for his epic comeback
​after a vicious crash has everyone thinking his career is over.

FAMILY/SPORT

Cars 3 (2017)

Directed by Brian Fee

Written by Kiel Murray, Bob Peterson, Mike Rich

Starring Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Nathan Fillion, Armie Hammer, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt,
​Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Kerry Washington, Bob Peterson

Sequel to 2011's Cars 2

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Connor Eyzaguirre

March 12, 2022

8/10

I never expected to like the Cars sequels, but now I'm willing to go to bat for these films. They're not classics. They're not incredible films. They're goofy at times and lack a lot of the substance that Pixar has become known for. But I'll be damned if they're not fun. Cars 3 abandons a lot more of the wacky shit that dominated Cars 2 and gets back to basics, delivering another racing-heavy family comedy that deals with heavy themes of legacy, opportunity, and the inevitable realization we all have to face: What happens when we've run our course and the world has moved on without us?

Lightning McQueen (Wilson) is no longer the new kid on the block. He's one of the most famous racecars who ever lived, and he's one of the oldest still in the league. All the other racers are new, arrogant models who can outrace him by miles. His big rival, Jackson Storm (Hammer), has declared Lightning obsolete, and Lightning wrecks bad trying to prove him wrong. To get back into fighting shape, Lightning is trained by Cruz Ramirez (Alonzo), a trainer who dreamed of being a racer but never got her chance. Along the way, Lightning and Cruz become good friends and Lightning realizes his time may be over, but Cruz's is just beginning. Once again, like the previous two films, it's an endearing story that you can't help but get dragged into.

Cars 3 is a fitting conclusion to the saga of Lightning McQueen, one of Pixar's most recognizable icons. It amazingly was able to include Paul Newman's character Doc Hudson thanks to unused vocals from the first film. That was a neat touch, especially since the film deals so heavily with Doc's legacy. It's not breaking new ground, but it's a nice movie with a good message.