Cars 2: Great Movie For Big Kids, Not For Young Children {Review}

Last Saturday, I was invited to a screening of Cars 2. We didn’t have a babysitter for Bryce, so Brian stayed home and our friends Andrea and Angelica went with Rylie and me. I have to admit that I thought it was super cool to be able to see the movie before it was released to the public! One of our local news anchors was there passing out stickers to the kids as we waited to go into the theater, and then it was time to get our 3D glasses, popcorn and drinks and watch the movie.

I didn’t realize that the movie was 3D until we were handed the glasses. I haven’t seen a 3D movie in a long time, because they always give me headaches. When the previews first started everything was super blurry and I was worried that the whole movie would look that way for me, so I was relieved when it was announced that there was an issue with the projector. Once they got the projector fixed, everything was crystal clear and I did not get a headache at all! 3D movies have sure come a long way!

There were several previews before the movie. The kids and I really enjoyed watching the opening song from The Lion King in 3D, along with the Toy Story movie short about Barbie & Ken’s Hawaiian vacation. Once the previews were over, it was time to watch Lightning McQueen race onto the big screen!

I enjoyed Cars 2! It was like watching an animated James Bond movie. The main plot revolved around a World Championship race throughout different countries. Mater got to leave Radiator Springs for the first time to accompany his best friend Lightning McQueen to the race. Mater unknowingly landed smack dab in the middle of a top-secret spy mission, where the cars who acted as operatives thought he was an American operative, with his cover being an idiot tow truck. The laughs were abundant through these scenes, which were lighthearted enough to be enjoyable for the kids.

The subplot of this movie was complicated, and at times political in nature since it revolved around alternative fuel sources. This subplot will likely be too difficult to understand for young children, especially pre-schoolers like Rylie. The movie was also full of explosions, gunfights, and even a plot to kill Lightning McQueen, which may present an issue for parents who want to limit their child’s exposure to violence. Because of the violence, I was surprised that Cars 2 was rated G. The explosions and violence didn’t bother me because Rylie is OK with action scenes like that, but some young kids may be really frightened by them. I think it depends on the child, and I feel that parents should know what to expect when they take their children to this movie.

The animation and effects in the movie were awesome! Mater had a larger part than Lightning McQueen, and there was not a whole lot of race footage in this sequel, so the big McQueen fans may be left wanting more. For the Mater fans, though, his character really shines! Well, as much as it can shine for a rusty old tow truck.

So what did our pre-schoolers think? Rylie watched almost the entire movie. As it was getting close to the end and there was more dialogue (which she didn’t understand) than there was action, she started getting restless and was in and out of her chair, on my lap, etc. She finally settled down and watched the rest of the movie. Angelica wouldn’t wear her 3D glasses, so we don’t know how much of the movie she actually watched. Obviously it would be blurry without the glasses, but she seemed more interested in eating her popcorn and drinking her Icee than she did watching the movie. When we asked the girls if they liked it, they both gave us an enthusiastic “Yes!”, but Rylie said she liked “Cars 1” better. That didn’t surprise me at all.

The girls were given puzzles before the movie started, which they really liked. We weren’t allowed to take any pictures inside the theater, but Andrea managed to get a cute shot with them with their puzzles after the movie was over.

All in all, I think it was a good movie. I definitely think the original Cars movie was better, especially for small children. I feel this should at least have a PG rating on it, and that it is more appropriate for children over the age of 8. I will watch it again, I'm sure, but probably not a bazillion times like the original Cars movie.

Do you want to win one of those Cars 2 puzzles like the girls received at the movie, along with a bunch of other really cool Cars 2 gear? Make sure you head over to my Cars 2 Giveaway for your chance to win!