Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and the residents of Radiator Springs quietly lead their provincial lives until their best friend, superstar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), returns. But before McQueen can settle in and have some private time with girlfriend Sally (Bonnie Hunt), he's invited to the World Grand Prix by Sir Miles Axelrod (Eddie Izzard). Reluctantly, McQueen takes Mater with him, but he reminds Mater to change the way he acts on the world stage.
Well, Mater being Mater, he acts the same way he does, and the world sees him as just an idiot who embarrasses McQueen everywhere he goes. Little does he know, though, he's soon involved in an international espionage. Turns out MI6 agents Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) are tracking a mysterious group of terrorists trying to sabotage the race. They mistaken Mater for an American spy.
When Mater causes McQueen to lose his first race, Mater leaves to return to Radiator Springs, but instead McMissile and Shiftwell take him along to track down the terrorists. They realize the terrorists are using a camera gun to blow up race cars in order to sabotage Sir Axelrod and his alternative fuel. When McMissile and Shiftwell are disabled, Mater has to rise to the occasion to help stop the terrorists from destroying the race and killing his best friend McQueen.
Larry the Cable Guy (Witless Protection) returns as the voice of lovable Mater. Larry is fine as a sidekick, and the character of Mater has some endearing qualities despite his irritating idiocy. Stupidity is funny up to a point, but when your main character is stupid, it gets old fast. Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris) is more at ease this time as McQueen. He's smooth, confident and witty. Unfortunately, he stays in the backseat (pun intended) most of the time.
A slew of new characters are introduced in this sequel. Michael Caine (The Dark Knight) is smart and charming as Agent McMissile, which has some of the funnest scenes in the movie. Emily Mortimer (Shutter Island) is cool and fun as Agent Shiftwell. These two are definitely the most memorable characters. John Turturro (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) is effectively cocky as McQueen's chief rival Francesco Bernoulli. Eddie Izzard (Across the Universe) has a small but pivotal role as Sir Axelrod. And Vanessa Redgrave (Letters to Juliet) lends her sultry voice as the Queen of England.
Some of the cast of the original return in small, supporting role (since much of the story happens outside of Radiator Springs): Bonnie Hunt (Toy Story 3) as McQueen's understanding and perfect girlfriend Sally, Tony Shalhoub (How Do You Know?) as Luigi, and John Ratzenberger (Toy Story 3) as Mack.
Cars 2 is written and directed by John Lasseter (together with Brad Lewis, Ben Queen and Ben Fogelman), and you would think it would be very good. Well, it is very entertaining, for sure. There's never really a dull moment, and this should keep the little boys very happy. But compared to other Pixar films, this is seriously lacking in character development, story, and that je ne sais quoi in almost every Pixar movie including the original Cars. In fact, the original was considered one of the weakest films from Pixar and I was surprised to learn that they were making a sequel. At least the first one has a soul that is anchored in Radiator Springs (with a nice nostalgic theme) with a cast of wonderful characters, and Wilson did a good job playing the reluctant hero. This one? Not so much.
Mater is a funny sidekick, but as the hero, he's just not really that good. The plot is convoluted, what with the James Bond-esque plot and action sequences. When did this become Spy Kids for cars? Most of all, except for a few characters such as McMissile and Shiftwell, we don't care about any of them. There is a lot of noise, action, and explosions (especially for a family film -- in comparison, The Incredibles, Pixar's most action-packed feature before Cars 2, has far less violence). It's very busy, and sometimes you don't even know what's going on.
Lasseter has said that Cars was his favorite because of his love for cars, but it seems that his ego is really getting in the way. Cars 2 is bloated, convoluted, irrelevant without memorable characters and a heart and soul in the middle. Yes, it's entertaining, fast-paced, and the animation is, as usual, top-notch. But it lacks the signature elements of a Pixar production. Seriously, if you don't pay attention, you may actually think this is made by Dreamworks. Are Pixar trying to pander to the Shrek audiences? They really don't need to. Let's hope there is no Cars 3 in the works.
In a Superman-esque opening, we learn that Megamind (Will Ferrell) is the lone survivor of his planet. But he's not the only one. Metro Man (Brad Pitt), from a neighboring planet, also survives, and they both end up on Earth. Megamind has the misfortune of landing in a prison, and because he looks odd, he's constantly picked on. Quickly he and the popular Metro Man become mortal enemies. They often try to one-up each other. Metro Man becomes the de facto superhero of Metro City, and Megamind the super villain who can never win.
At the opening ceremony of the Metro Man Museum, Megamind once again tries to defeat Metro Man. He kidnaps reporter Roxanne (Tina Fey), whom he believes is Metro Man's main squeeze. But his plan goes too well, and he destroys Metro Man for good. For a while, Megamind enjoys his victory and being fearsome, but after a while, he realizes life is boring and there is no point without a hero to fight. And to his surprise, he misses Metro Man.
So Megamind decides to create a new superhero to fight him. By using Metro Man's DNA, Megamind accidentally makes Roxanne's cameraman Tighten (Jonah Hill) a superhuman. Unfortunately, Tighten has none of the quality that makes up a superhero. Instead, Tighten wants to be a super villain like Megamind.
Will Ferrel (The Other Guys) stages his "come back" with the back-to-back comedies. As the voice of Megamind, Ferrel exercises his zaniness with an over-the-top performance. He's entertaining when he doesn't sound obnoxious -- and that's a very thin line at times. Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds), on the other hand, is all dapper and charming as the hunky Metro Man. The two voices and characters are definitely yin and yang for each other.
Tina Fey (Date Night) provides the voice for the only major female character. Her performance is spirited and sexy. Her voice and Ferrel's surprisingly compliment each other well. On the other hand, even in animated character form, Jonah Hill (Get Him to the Greek) practically plays himself again. His whiny voice fits the character perfectly.
The rest of the voice cast includes David Cross (Year One) in a funny role as Minion, Ben Stiller (Greenberg) in a small role as Bernard, and J.K. Simmons (Up in the Air) as the deadpanning Warden.
The screenplay is written by two novice writers: Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, and it shows. While the story has a natural "coming of age" arc, the treatment is rather chaotic. The first and last act are relatively smooth (and standard -- well, I mean, we've seen it before in something like The Incredibles), but the second act is rather a mess. Over all, I feel the story lacks a focus, and there are too many bits and pieces vying for our attention. It's busy, and which may please the young ones in the audience. But for us adults, it feels bloated and out of control at times. The comedy is often broad, and the dialogue skit-like. The premise is try-and-true, but lacks certain imagination. The beginning, for example, is a complete ripoff of Superman, albeit having a comedic, new twist.
Under Tom McGrath's (Madagascar), the animation, however, is top-notch. We can always count on the animators at Dreamworks to do great work. The colors are vibrant. The characters are well designed. And the action sequences are well rendered. The production value is consistently good. The pacing, however, suffers from the script. Even McGrath can't save the film from the sloppy second act. Fortunately, the third act delivers, even though the ending is predictable.
Gru (Steve Carell) is a super-villain on the verge of doing something really big, and he also considers himself despicable, living in a small town where people seem to leave him alone. He's mean to children (but never animals). After a rival villain stole the Pyramid of Giza, Gru vows to commit the crime of the millennium by stealing the moon.
But first, he needs financial support. Banker Mr. Perkins (Will Arnett) would only commit to the plan if Gru could procure a shrinking ray gun. Gru does just that, but his rival, Vector (Jason Segel), steals the ray gun from him. To get it back, Gru concocts a plan by adopting three orphan girls to help him: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Caier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher).
Little does Gru know his life is going to change because of these three little girls. While Gru proceeds with the plan, he's constantly distracted with his "parenting" tasks. Little by little, Gru softens up while his minions and partner Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) are waiting for him to act. Gru must choose. Or does he?
Steve Carell (Date Night) has had some bad luck with his live-action movie career, but as the voice of Gru, he's charmingly droll with a fake Russian accent. Gru is a man of few words, but when he talks, you listen, and we know underneath the tough and rough exterior, there's a softie, and Carell does a fine job conveying those emotions, and the animators succeed in using his personality to come up with the interesting character that is Gru.
Jason Segel (I Love You, Man) is funny and unrecognizable as the voice of Vector, Gru's nerdy, Bill Gates-lookalike rival. Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek) also does an interesting and unrecognizable voice as Dr. Nefario. Both complement Carell's performance.
Will Arnet (Jonah Hex) joins the cast as Mr. Perkins with his trademark sharp tongue. Kristen Wiig (MacGruber) is spirited as the mean orphanage director. Julie Andrews (Shrek Forever After) is marvelous as Gru's disapproving mother. The three little girls are adorably voiced by Miranda Cosgrove (The Wild Stallion), Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher (Medium) -- it's nice to see them using real children's voices for these roles.
Written by Ken Daurio (College Road Trip), Sergio Pablos and Cinco Paul (College Road Trip), the story is a big fantasy not necessarily anchored in reality (by comparison, Toy Story 3 is based on reality even if it's about talking toys). It has the zany energy and imagination of Loony Toons. The story is rather simple and straightforward, and there's a Coyote and Roadrunner feel to the cat-and-mouse game, especially between Gru and Vector. The plot is a series of over-exaggerated events that requires a huge dose of suspension of disbelief. By and large, for a "cartoon," that works.
The strength of this movie is the characters, most of whom well drawn and lovable, or at least entertaining. It reminds me of Pixar's Monster, Inc. -- both are set in somewhat a "fantasy" world, and the characters are equally zany and quirky. Gru is pointy, hulking, yet lovable. The girls are soft and cute and cuddly. The supporting cast is witty and funny. But the real stars of the movie are the "minions" -- yellow, spongy, goofy "things" with short limbs that are designed for merchandising heaven. They are the source of much of the amusement and giggles.
However, I feel that the filmmakers are trying so hard to make us love and adore and want these minions that it feels manipulative. In fact, much of the story feels manipulative. We're made to want to keep saying, "Awww" every few minutes. The story also is extremely simple and without the complexity or layers of Toy Story.
Despicable Me is a cute and adorable animation, mostly suitable for young kids (age 5 to 14) and adults who have kids or are kids at heart. It's simple pleasure, but a bit too simple for my taste. As an adult, I like my animation a bit more sophisticated while entertaining (something Pixar has been doing all these years). There's really no reason to dumb it down just to entertain the young kids. And I also rather resent the fact that they try to manipulate us every inch of the way. All right, I don't mean to be snippy; it really is cute and fun. Perhaps it's just the despicable me speaking here… 
But things have definitely changed. Andy (John Morris) is now 17. He hasn't played with his toys, including Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), for years. They've been relegated to a toy box, spending years entertaining each other. Before Andy goes to college, his mother needs him to clean out his room so his sister, Molly, can move in. So he has three choices with his old toys: toss them, store them in the attic, or donate them to a daycare center. Andy decides to take Woody with him to college and put everything else (yes, including Buzz) in the attic.
But misunderstanding and a series of events take our toy heroes to Sunnyside, a daycare center where the toys are run by a cuddly, purple stuffed bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty). It's a dream come true for everyone -- they get to finally get played with -- except Woody, who believes they must all return to their owner, Andy. What they don't know is that Lotso runs Sunnyside like a prison, and the new toys are consigned to a room with children who are way too young to play with them. Lotso locks them up every night and threatens them if they dare to escape.
Realizing they're in danger, Woody tries to help his friends escape. But Lotso and his minions have high security. To make matter worse, something happens to Buzz and he's not himself. With Andy leaving for college, they must escape and return before it's too late.
All the voices are back, led by Tom Hanks (Angels & Demons) and Tim Allen (Wild Hogs). They both reprise their respective roles as if no time had passed. Since 1999, Hanks has become one of Hollywood's most bankable dramatic actors and producers. As Woody, though, he shows us exactly why the character as well as the actor himself are so endearing: that guy-next-door quality with a hint of heroism. Allen, meanwhile, is perfectly fine in the second chair as Buzz, playing essentially a supporting role to Woody. Their chemistry remains solid.
Joan Cusack (My Sister's Keeper) also returns as Jesse the Cowgirl, and her spunky, perky performance adds to the colorful and diverse cast which includes returning voices such as Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, and Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head. Jodie Benson (Enchanted) also reprises her delicious role as Barbie. 26-year-old John Morris (Toy Story 2) returns as the grown-up Andy as well.
But it's the new cast members who steal the show, which is a difficult thing to do considering the stellar original cast. Ned Beatty (The Killer Inside Me) is pitch perfect as the cuddly yet twisted Lotso. And the ultimately scene-stealer is Ken, voiced with humor, energy and personality by Michael Keaton (Cars).
Written and directed by Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo), together with Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) and John Lassetter (Cars), the screenplay sticks to the familiar. It's an action-adventure featuring our beloved characters. The themes never shy away from the familiar either: abandonment, friendship, companionship, adjustment, with a bit of romance thrown in. There's a lot of jokes, too -- some very clever and funny, and some not (Potty humor? Pixar, you can do better). What the writers have succeeded to do, though, is to have fun with the material, and come up with something new and fresh. Hilarious and yet touching. Fun and yet profound.
The story line, however, is darker than the previous two. There is an unsettling plot development that involves imprisonment, torture, and incineration that could be very scary for the young ones. There is also a pervasive wistfulness and sadness associated with, primarily, Andy's growing up and his pending departure. Parting is such sweet sorrow. There's always this lingering, heart-tugging piece of emotion floating through the entire story, and it comes to a head at the end. I admit, I shed a quiet tear. So bravo! to the filmmakers for making a grown man cry.
Ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) has settled into his domestic bliss with wife Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and three young children. Best friends Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in the Boots (Antonio Banderas) hang around in one big happy, extended family. Shrek is also a mild celebrity in Far Far Away. He should be happy, but he's not. He misses his good old days as the feared ogre and he thinks he's losing his mojo, lost in his daily, mundane life. He yearns for adventures and doing what he wants when he wants it -- I guess he's having a normal midlife crisis.
Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohm) comes to the rescue. Rumpel offers a simple deal that is too good to be true: he'll give Shrek one day where he becomes a feared ogre again, in exchange for another day of his past. Shrek gladly agrees -- it's just one day, and who cares if he loses one lousy, insignificant day? He signs the contract and gets his wish. Little does he know, Rumpel has an evil agenda.
Soon Shrek realizes what the catch really is: Rumple took away the day Shrek was born! So, in this alternate reality, Shrek never existed, and thus he never rescued Fiona, and somehow Rumple became the ruler of Far Far Away, now overrun by witches. Shrek must fight to get his life back, before the end of the day when he, too, will cease to exist forever.
Mike Myers' (The Love Guru) career seemed to have stalled recently, after plans for another Austin Power movie tanked. But lately Myers have refocused, first appearing in the critically acclaimed Inglorious Basterds. This movie appears to be a comeback for both the Shrek franchise and Myers himself. As usual, he gives a spirited voice performance and brings Shrek to life once more. But this time, Myers' performance is appropriately more mature, more thoughtful, more middle-aged. Eddy Murphy (Imagine That) seems to have the same problem with his live-action films, but as Donkey, he continues to be funny and interesting and lovable. He's made Donkey one of the most beloved animated characters.
Cameron Diaz (The Box) is in good form voicing a different version of Fiona, the princess warrior. Her voice remains a tad slight for the role, but we've got used to it by now (she was perfect as Fiona in human form, though, just not quite there as the ogre). Antonio Banderas (The Other Man), with the help of animators, continues to steal the show as the kitty cat (who, in this reality, is different in a BIG way). He and Donkey have some of the funnest scenes and repartee as the duo of ultimate sidekicks.
Julie Andrews (Tooth Fairy) returns as the regal and graceful Queen. Jon Hamm (Mad Men) is fun as an ogre, Brogan. John Cleese (Planet 51) reprises his role as cantankerous King Harold. Jane Lynch (Glee) plays a witch. Writer-voice actor Walt Dohm (Shrek the Third) is rather smarmy as the chief villain, Rumplestiltskin.
Written by Josh Klausner (Date Night) and Darren Lemke (Lost), the screenplay is surprisingly tight, funny, and well thought out. I suppose like many people, I've lowered my expectations so much after the last two sequels that I'm pleasantly surprised. Here, they've put back the satire and fairytale elements in favor of overkilling with pop culture references and product placements. The dialogue is in general witty, and the plot makes sense. It's kind of Shrek's take on It's a Wonderful Life. I've always had a soft spot for alternate realities and I think they've done a good job.
It's not to say the screenplay is without its flaws. It's still bogged down at times by potty humor, dumb jokes, and some pop culture references that don't quite work (breakdancing witches? No thanks). Still, this is a huge improvement over the last two movies. It is again smart, funny, and with a lot of heart.
