Just as you can’t take away a racing car away from a track, you can’t take a champion away from a racing competition.

In Disney — Pixar’s Cars 3, the story revolves around Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen and his return to the racing arena after being in a near-fatal accident on the track, and losing to a rookie who has no respect for the elder racing cars.

Cars 3 is as much about racing as it is about making a comeback. Doc Hudson (voiced by the late Paul Newman) returns to boost the morale of his protégé McQueen (Owen Wilson) who changes sponsors to make one final appearance as a car that can still win the Piston Cup. Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) appears from nowhere as the challenger who wins because of being the next-level racer, and in order to match his performance, McQueen has to strike Lightning! So McQueen gets to train with Cruz (Cristela Alonzo) who helps him in her own way to become the champion of the world, again!

The teasers and trailers of Cars 3 captivated the audience and so did the film that shows that competitive racing can be fun. All the voiceover actors fit their characters, including the late Paul Newman who makes an appearance due to his unused recordings. The actor, who voiced Doc Hudson, passed away in 2008 but his presence links the film with the first installment in which he trained Lightning McQueen – both mentally and racing-ly. Unlike the last film where McQueen went abroad and was involved in a spy-mission, this one is closer to home where Mater (Larry The Cable Guy) is still his best friend, where Sally (Bonnie Hunt) still waits for McQueen’s return to Radiator Springs and where he has the services of the Best Crew in the business.

Cars 3 is not a film for all generations but yes, its target market are kids who have watched the first two installments, love playing with cars or feel better when they get to watch a good animated flick. The graphics and 3D animation can be termed as ‘double the delight’ for racing fans — even McQueen’s fan club will agree that it was time to change for the better.

Cars 3 has been released at a time when kids are asking their parents to take them to cinemas, making it a healthy alternative to parents who need peace and quiet in exchange for a cinema ticket. Trust me, you will not regret it!

The movie is rated G, for general audiences, thus suitable for all the family.

Published in Dawn, Young World July 15th, 2017