CARS 2 – The Blu Review

Although CARS 2 is not my favorite Pixar film, the Blu-Ray / DVD Combo Pack is still fun.

CARS 2 is the tale of Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater as they take their friendship to exciting new places, and head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell. Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

It’s not that I don’t find Cars 2 enjoyable, it’s just that I don’t think it’s as captivating as the rest of the Pixar releases. Although it’s stunning, and at times funny, I found parts to be a bit lackluster and dull. Still, it’s not bad. It’s story is just a bit “middle of the road”.

VIDEO QUALITY: MPEG-4 AVC 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer Ratio: 2.39:1

The film looks magnificent! Pixar has high standards when it comes to how their films look, and this is certainly no exception.

AUDIO QUALITY: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1

Pitch perfect sound makes the action in CARS 2 even more enjoyable! I honestly can find nothing wrong with this impeccable audio.

Although most of the bonus features are limited to the 5 disc 3D combo fact, which is a bit of a disappointment if you love the bonus material like I do. The shorts are fun, and the commentary is interesting. Still, I can’t help but feel cheated. In my opinion, putting the majority of the features only on the 3D combo pack is going to isolate their audience and only make them angry.

• Audio Commentary: Directors John Lasseter and Brad Lewis offer their non-stop commentary that is sure to please fans of the film, as well as animation die-hards. They cover production and story development. The whole discussion is engaging and fun.
• Toy Story Toon “Hawaiian Vacation” (HD, 6 minutes): Barbie and Ken are a bit sad, so Buzz, Woody and the gang stage a trip to Hawaii for them without ever leaving Bonnie’s room. These shorts are always fun, and this one is no exception!
•  Cars Toon “Air Mater” (HD, 6 minutes): Produced by Pixar Canada, Mater is up to his shenanigans again with this installment of his Tall Tales.
• Sneak Peeks (HD, 10 minutes):

• Pixar’s BRAVE
• PLANES
• THE MUPPETS
• LADY AND THE TRAMP Diamond Edition
• CARS 2: The Videogame
• NAUGHTY vs. NICE
• SECRET OF THE WINGS

Although CARS 2 is not the best of the Pixar tales, it looks and sounds amazing on Blu-Ray. Still, we want more features… and not only on the 3D Combo Pack!

OVERALL BLU-RAY / DVD COMBO PACK REVIEW: 3.75 out of 5 stars