The Film
Dad gum! After seven years and one sequel, Disney is giving Cars a fancy new paint job. Whether or not this is your favorite Pixar movie (for most, it's not), this is one of the studio's most successful franchises to date. It's spawned the aforementioned sequel, an endless amount of toys, and even it's own portion of Disney California Adventure. Why not add a 3D release to that growing roster?
Like several of Disney's other classics, this car-filled kiddie flick is getting the 3D treatment in the Cars: Ultimate Collector's Edition.
The story is the same: Rookie Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) believes he's destined for greatness and desperately wants a spot on the Dinoco racing team. However, on the way to the race of his life, he's sidetracked in the tiny town of Radiator Springs. It's there that McQueen learns what it takes to be a true champion. It's also where you can say goodbye to your bank account and hello to the film's many characters -- all of which are available in Matchbox-esque form.
Cars isn't the best that Pixar has to offer, but it's a sweet little friendship story, with the voices of Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, George Carlin, and countless others. Also, you can't argue with $461 million at the box office -- or a 5-year-old that wants to watch Cars on an endless loop. Believe me, I've tried.
The Picture
Even your Cars-obsessed 5-year-old shouldn't be surprised that this new release is stunning. The 2.39:1 image is one of the brighest images you'll see on 3D, since there are so many different colors going on here. Lighting McQueen is a bold red, Chick Hicks is a bright green, and Mater is well... Mater. However, there are so many different characters here, it's like a pretty rainbow with detail so stunning, you'll expect to see yourself in the reflection of those shiny paint jobs. The added 3D effect is also really nice. It's mostly about the depth of the image, but Cars 3D also has enough pop-out effects to satisfy the kiddies and other 3D fans that will expect them.
The Sound
As impressive as the image is, the release's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is even better. It's demo-worthy, to say the least. In fact, the only way it could be better is if had been bumped it up to 7.1. Disney dreams aside, the track is loud when it needs to be, but also super crisp. Sure, it does have a cheesy pop soundtrack for the kiddies to bop to. However, when the cars are in action, you can feel it, like you're right up against the chain-link fence barricade at a NASCAR event. The rev of the engines, the crunch of the metal and the cheering of the crowd is wonderful. Even better, it's got great directionality, making these cartoon characters come to life.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
The Cars: Ultimate Collector's Edition is a nice upgrade if 3D effects are important to you. It's a really nice viewing experience. Otherwise, there's nothing else new here. It has the same stellar AV presentation and the same crop of extras as its predecessor. Of course, people just love to hate on Cars, but it's a fun little movie with the nice message. If you've never watched the movie with a little one, you're missing out. And if you have and still hate the movie, you might want to think about getting a little Rust-eze for that old heart of yours.
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