Cars 2
Movie, 2011, The films and shorts, Set in The World Grand Prix
Cars 2 is #4 of 10 in release order and #4 of 10 in chronological order in the Cars.
The story
Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.
Cars 2 recap
McQueen agrees to race in the World Grand Prix, set up by the oil baron Sir Miles Axlerod to promote his new alternative fuel, Allinol, and takes Mater along. In Tokyo, British spy Finn McMissile and the rookie agent Holley Shiftwell mistake Mater for an American agent and recruit him. Mater embarrasses McQueen, who snaps at him, and Mater leaves. The spies discover that the German scientist Professor Zundapp and a crew of old, unreliable cars are using a camera disguised as an electromagnetic pulse weapon to make Allinol cars explode, to discredit alternative fuel. Mater infiltrates the gang's meeting in Italy, where Grem and Acer try to take out racers, and learns they plan to kill McQueen at the London race.
Cars 2 ending explained
In London, the lemons fit a bomb to Mater, which only the mastermind can switch off. Mater realises the mastermind is Axlerod himself, who planned to discredit Allinol so he could keep profiting from oil, and forces him to disarm it. Mater is knighted, and McQueen apologises. The racers come to Radiator Springs for a friendly Grand Prix, and Finn and Holley invite Mater on another mission.
Where to watch Cars 2
Cars 2 is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 40%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, before Tales from Radiator Springs.
- Chronological order: after Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, before Tales from Radiator Springs.
What to watch before Cars 2
Cars (2006), which Cars 2 (2011) continues.
Cast
- Larry the Cable Guy as Mater (voice)
- Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen (voice)
- Michael Caine as Finn McMissile (voice)
- Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell (voice)
- Suzy Eddie Izzard as Sir Miles Axlerod (voice)
- John Turturro as Francesco Bernoulli (voice)
- Brent Musburger as Brent Mustangburger (voice)
- Joe Mantegna as Grem (voice)
- Thomas Kretschmann as Professor Z (voice)
- Peter Jacobson as Acer (voice)
- Bonnie Hunt as Sally (voice)
- Darrell Waltrip as Darrell Cartrip (voice)
Directed by John Lasseter.