131, Cars 2

Its the Summer Holidays and I am sure this is the first of many kids movies I will be dragged along too.  To be fair, I don't mind most of them.  The animation keeps getting better and normally there are more famous names stepping up than you see on the Oscars carpet and the addition of Michael Caine, Eddie Izzard & Emily Mortimer made this one slightly more appealing than most.

For those of you who don't know the story, its pretty straight forward - in the first outing our hero Lightening McQueen stumbles across hick town, Radiator Springs and meets Mater, a tow truck who to be fair, is a little bit thick.  Blah Blah Blah and they become best friends and World Champions.  The end.

The sequel kicks off with the main story of a group of Spy's trying to find out who is taking over the worlds oil industry, Behind this is the back story with McQueen due home after his 4th title win.  After an invite ensues from an Italian F1 racer to the World Grand Prix he takes Mater along to keep him company.  At the inauguration party both Spy and Race cars meet up and Mater is identified (wrongly) as an American undercover agent.  you then get taken on a story of Spy vs. Villain, backed up by a buddy movie of self discovery.

So, I have probably taken the above a little too seriously.  But to be brutally honest....it did seem dull.  And long.  And dull.

Yes the animation if impressive, Yes the stars have come out again and loaned their vocal talents but it feels long.  Too long!  Its 14 minutes shy of 2hrs and you feel every minute of it.  I did go at 7pm with younger kids which was probably not the best idea.  The movie is 106 minutes.  The Ads are 30 minutes and before the feature there is a short 10 minute Toy Story sketch (which was quite good actually, all the original cast!).  In total - nearly 146 minutes of sitting still and quiet and although my 7yr old handled it pretty well, its a a little too long for some of the younger crowd - by 8.30pm 5yr old kids were running around, crying and running up to the screen, casting silhouettes across the auditorium so may be by then I was not in the best of moods.  Sorry.

I suppose the movie will attract great reviews.  Gain acclaim for its brilliant cast and the kids will certainly take on the rapture and awe of the World Grand Prix - but as Adults, we know better! (sometimes) and this just does not have the appeal of say Toy Story or Shrek.

Take the kids if they want to go but don't expect miracles.  There have definitely been better ones recently.

See this if..................................you are cornered!