Disney-Pixar's Cars 3

Lightning McQueen returns for the biggest race for this life as the third installment of Disney-Pixar's Cars film is finally on the grid in time for race weekend and for this film, McQueen is trying to settle the score against newer and modernized racecars, including his most fearsome foe yet, Jackson Storm.

Disney-Pixar's Cars 3

As this year's Piston Cup now features next-generation racing cars, including the likes of newcomer Storm (played by Armie Hammer) himself, everything McQueen (played by Owen Wilson) know about the sport he loves will forever change following his sudden downfall during a race. Reluctant to end his long-running career in racing, McQueen seeks advice to an aspiring race technician known as Cruz Ramirez (played by Cristela Alonzo). Sharing common goals, they set off on a cross-country trip to regain his damaged morale. During their cross-country trip, McQueen will later do something that he never done before; go on a demolition derby. That sounds scary but if he really want to defeat Storm, he has no choice trying it out before returning to the circuit to settle the scores and finish what he started.

In addition to Wilson, Hammer, and Alonzo donning voices, Cars 3 brings back Larry The Cable Guy as Tow Mater, Bonnie Hunt as Sally, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Michael Wallis as Sheriff, and Paul Dooley as Sarge, among many others.

Past Cars installments have been proven to be a family-friendly alternative to some car action films we are familiar with but for Cars 3, it finally shows its darker side to McQueen's tale and if by "darker", it really is because with all the intense rivalry, the demolition derby, and what's happening to Lightning McQueen, this film finally came to its senses and you can really feel the rage boiling through its storyline that sets them apart from the past installments. While this film boils the fire within, there's still some sense of humor that makes Cars 3 a fun film for the whole family and there are some life lessons to be learned while trying to relate this film to their daily lives; rivalry, defiance, determination, and the moxie to overcome all odds in darkest of times.

Finally, Disney and Pixar landed on the master stroke with Cars 3 and while this is not ideally the best car movie to watch for car enthusiasts like you and I due to its cartoonish nature, its fiery storytelling, memorable cast of characters, and its classic Disney chemistry will make this another instant classic from the wonderful world of Disney.

My rating: 4.4 out of 5.