With only hours left until Cars 2 opens on the big screen, reviews are stacking up. As with the first Cars, the response from many critics has been poor.The film is currently at only 38% "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes (50% among Top Critics). That makes it the first Pixar film ever to be considered "Rotten" by the review aggregator.
Cars 2 isn't Pixar's greatest film artistically, but this is an enormous mistake.
Tellingly, a big number of the positive reviews are coming from veteran critics, like Roger Ebert, who gives Cars 2 three-and-a-half stars out of four—a higher rating than he gave Toy Story 3 last June.
"At a time when some "grown-up" action films are relentlessly shallow and stupid, here is a movie with such complexity," he writes. "Cars 2 is fun. Whether that's because John Lasseter is in touch with his inner child or mine, I cannot say."
Posts
28 comments:
Thank you for this article! I have been in despair about rotten tomatoes. Lots of the rotten articles even stated that it's a good movie, it's just not like the others, so it fails to meet standards. This movie needs to stop being rated for what it could be, but it needs to be rated on what it is, and they made it not to be a emotional movie, its an action film.
Have not seen the film but I find myself in the middle of two big sides. The critics, who obviously have experience but seem to review Cars 2 not by the film itself but because of any other Pixar film that has nothing to do with this. In the other side, I find all the legions of Pixar lovers who, sadly, blind themselves too (Not talking about does who have SEEN the film), most of them trash critical response by the mere fact that this is a Pixar film. I will wait to see the film this weekend to finally come to a conclusion but I would neither trash it or praise it fighting against those who don't like it. To call the critical response "mistaken" you are just taking one side instead of just liking the film. If the film is good as you said than I don't see a reason to protect it like there is something wrong.
This is probably true. I think, like a lot of people do, that Cars 2 will be very good but critics are so gripped on not getting ridiculed by others that they will just say that it was an aweful movie. I bet all my money (and I do have 120 dollars on hand right now) that Cars 2 will NOT be Pixar's first bummer. And besides, Pixar makes critically acclaimed movies every year, not every movie needs to be serious, especially Cars. Cars was always one of my favorite Pixar movies because of the fact that it didnt make me cry! Does anybody think that I LIKE to be seen crying in a movie theater?! The answer is NO. I will end this by saying critics are pathetic, except, like Mike said, the veterans. Seriously, they think they can tell me how good a movie is? Rotten Tomatoes is more like a resource anyway. I know, that was a long comment, just wanted to let it all out!
This is probably true. I think, like a lot of people do, that Cars 2 will be very good but critics are so gripped on not getting ridiculed by others that they will just say that it was an aweful movie. I bet all my money (and I do have 120 dollars on hand right now) that Cars 2 will NOT be Pixar's first bummer. And besides, Pixar makes critically acclaimed movies every year, not every movie needs to be serious, especially Cars. Cars was always one of my favorite Pixar movies because of the fact that it didnt make me cry! Does anybody think that I LIKE to be seen crying in a movie theater?! The answer is NO. I will end this by saying critics are pathetic, except, like Mike said, the veterans. Seriously, they think they can tell me how good a movie is? Rotten Tomatoes is more like a resource anyway. I know, that was a long comment, just wanted to let it all out!
It is screamingly obvious that the majority of reviewers I've read had apparently made up their minds about Cars 2 even before going in.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but to be honest, I don't find the trailers appealing, or anything. Who knows, I might be proven wrong.
Of course I am sorry for it, and still I don't have too much credit for the bad rewinds, but I hope this could let Pixar people see not every movie deserves a sequel. If this could stop Cars 3, I'm fine with it.
Greetings.
Having not seen the movie myself, I'll refrain from commenting directly on the film as a whole.
My biggest problem with the runup to Cars 2 is that it had the exact opposite effect on me as the usual Pixar film does.
I follow animation news fairly regularly, and each new Pixar production especially.
Early word on one of their new projects would usually make me curious as to how they would play it out. With a few more details being released, I could start to see an angle for a compelling storyline that could be made out of it. By the time the ad campaign starts, it's always positively reinforced my earlier thoughts, bolstering my expectations.
This last year, the effect has been reversed. I couldn't discern the core 'heart' or theme of the idea they were going after. Each successive ad drained a little bit more enthusiasm from me.
When they first announced this film I was surprised (Lasseter and others had verbally expressed a desire to avoid sequels apart from Toy Story at the time) but thought perhaps they chose this project to improve upon the first. I don't get that impression any more.
I have more hope for Brave, and the untitled 2013 flick still, but I will probably wait for Cars 2 to be released on DVD before checking it out.
If this gets posted, you can call me JerseyCajun.
Does anybody know if they'll be giving out anything special on the first day and weekend Opening of Cars 2 in Theaters? Like in the past, is it true that they gave out mini replicas of the Carl Fredrickson House when Up came out in theaters? Cause i remember when i went to go see Wall-E they gave out Watches. Please if anybody knows please let me know.
Ebert likes it, that's good enough for me.
How are they mistaken exactly? If they didn't like it, why should they give it a positive review?
Mike, your Pixar fanboy write-ups are starting to be pathetic.
When you realize that you can love Pixar and still be critical of them when they do something bad you are going to feel immense relief.
As others have said, this film should be judged on its own and not compared to other Pixar films. Critics are remembering Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3, and they're expecting Cars 2 to be as serious and (that type of) "amazing" as the past four films.
Just enjoy Cars 2 by itself! I am stoked to see it!
Disclaimer: I am a big Pixar fan.
I think this is a great blog, but sometimes the fanboys are just two much.
Anon #1 makes with one broad comment, the assumption that *all* critics that gave this movie an unfavourable review was not reviewing it on what it is, but what it could be. I'd like to see some kind of proof of this before you make this accusation! Same goes for Autumn.
It's funny that when critics give a movie that fanboys like bad reviews, they all dismiss what these critics say. But when the same critics overwhelmingly give good reviews for a movie that the fanboys like, then the same fanboys use their reviews as proof on why the movie is so great.
And yes, Jay, critics can tell you how good they think a movie is, it's their *job* to do so.
Here is the thing...
I have no problem with critics not liking the movie. That's their job...to be critics. But please hate for what it is, not what you thought it should be.
Roger Ebert once said if he went into every movie expecting Citizen Kane, he would never give a good review.
So, I think the criticsm of the reviewers is that the negative ones are mostly aimed at the fact that Cars 2 is not Up, TS3 or Wall-E.
That is not fair to Cars 2. Which is made to be an action/comedy, not a mediation on loss, growing up or isolation and love.
If Cars 2 has a subpar screenplay, uninteresting dialogue and characters...then pan it.
But don't hate it because it's not Citizen Kane.
I will see it tonight.
Yeah, some of the comments here are ridiculous.
@ most recent Anon:
I wasn't trying to tar the entire internet with the same brush. I was specifically thinking of a couple of sites I saw that used words like 'atrocity' in reference to Cars 2 while the writer later said he hadn't yet seen the film, or months ago another article that said (paraphrasing) 'Pixar's going to disappoint us all this summer when THAT MOVIE comes out'. This sentiment was widely echoed by both bloggers elsewhere and people leaving comments on those blogs and on forums. The 'This is going to be Pixar's first flop!' bandwagon for this film was already huge months ago. I mean, really, how do they know? That's all I'm saying. Why not go in with an open mind?
I think it's pretty silly to say the critics are simply "wrong."
Without having seen Cars 2, I know one thing to be true: it's pretty hard to stomach Larry the Cable guy for extended periods of time.
thank you Jay hosh. you pretty much summed up the negative bias Cars 2 has, that and an unfounded distaste for Larry the Cable, and thus Mater. Cars 2 won't make you cry but i'm sure it will be very entertaining.
I love the wording of the title for this post. "...fails to find overwhelming critical success". Er, it failed to find critical success in any capacity.
It's a really disingenuous way of saying "Cars 2 is a critical disaster".
Does anyone here believe that, well, Cars 2 can really be, you know, a BAD film? I can't see why people defend the film without even seeing it. And to all of those who say the "critics" don't know anything, it would be good that you check out all they have said about previous Pixar efforts. Most of them receive their films with OVERWHELMING and positive reviews. Most of them LIKED Cars in the first place (This goes to all the people who seem to think all critics just trash Cars 2 because it is the sequel to Cars). Is amazing how blind-minded can people get in these days...
Instead of cars 2 which was a bad idea in the first place to make they should of put monsters university or TOY STORY 4
I´m a big Pixar fan and I have to say that the 33% rate at Rotten Tomatoes has really made me sad. I´m not acting like a “blind-minded fanboy”, this is just my sincere opinion. Worse than The Hangover Part II and Pirates of the Caribbean 4?? Really?? It´s so unfair. Cars 2 is fun, the story is complex, full of details (most of them we´ll only notice after watching it a few times)... Among all Pixar movies, this will be one of the most interesting to see over and over again, exactly because of the amount of detail it contains.
The spy theme is so original and it´s different from everything Pixar has done before, which is another thing I love about them: each movie brings a whole new idea. The new characters, Holey and Finn, are fresh and interesting.
Can't Pixar make an entertaining movie just for once, without higher emotional pretensions? Taking this movie for what it is, it´s a good film, and I' pretty sure that it would be getting much better reviews if it came from another studio. OK, it really isn´t an excellent movie, but I can´t say it´s as bad as the critics are saying.
Well, I just hope guys at Pixar will take the message for the upcoming Monster University!
I watched the movie on Friday and I liked it. I am not a fan of the first one but I really enjoyed the spy story. Actually, I completely forgot I was watching cars speaking and saw them as characters... I really got involved in the plot and had a good moment. Some jokes were not funny at all, but overall I think the movie is good.
@Fernanda, Pixar is more than welcome to make an entertaining movie that isn't emotionally pretentious. They have done so on many occasions (Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille), but this movie is not one of them. Cars 2 is just stupid. The plot is inane. The characters are paper-thin. The jokes fall flat. The scenarios are absurd. My honest opinion of Cars 2 is that it is worse than Shark Tail.
It's about on par with The Hangover 2 for my money. At least it had a Toy Story short in front of it though, so it has that edge, but I don't pay to watch shorts. Pirates 4 was much better than Cars 2. It was actually watchable. I would have walked out of Cars 2 if I hadn't been with friends.
its sad to see pixar fail but i appauld them for taking risk. great movie making is by taking risk. its a bit like gambling sometimes you might a jack pot and sometimes the money is drained out of you.
Went to see cars 2 yesterday and really liked it. So many big budget action / spy movies have come out of late and I prefer Pixar's take on the genre to most live action films I've seen lately. I love the detail they put into their films and this one in particular which means when I have to sit and watch it over and over again with my little son I won't get bored! It was fun, light hearted, fast paced and visually brilliant. I loved it and don't care what the critics have to say because they are not the ones who will have to watch it over and over again with a small child... which I think some of them may need to remember, this is a kids film for adults too, not an adults movie first.
Ouch. For Pixar's First Flop, I Feel Sorry For Them
Post a Comment