Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Cars 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

Speed... faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Lightning, and I am in 3D!

John Lasseter's Cars is an oft-dismissed "lesser classic" from Pixar a few angsty filmfans rank among the renowned animation studio's worst. Why it draws such ire and criticism, even amongst small circles, remains something of a mystery to me. Then again, I'm a sucker for any lovingly crafted animated film that wears such heart on its sleeve, and with plenty left to spare. From Radiator Spring's tragic decline to McQueen's lessons in life and love, his budding relationship with Sally, Mater's unassuming devotion, Doc's reconciliation with his painful past, and a host of other memorable mini-arcs courtesy of an equally memorable supporting cast, Cars rarely drifts off course, much less disappoints. (Cars 2 on the other hand...) And so news that Cars was being released in 3D not only caught my son's attention, it caught mine. I'm not a racing fan -- affection for NASCAR isn't a prerequisite -- but that's the magic of Pixar: making audiences care about a little town they'd otherwise speed by on the highway, inspiring children of all ages to root for an upstart racer in a sport they've little fondness for, and telling a clever, funny, distinctly human story without a single human being to be found.

Cars 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Cars races onto Blu-ray compliments of an exhilarating 1080p/MVC-encoded presentation that makes the absolute most of the film's conversion to 3D. Director John Lasseter's 2006 passion project wasn't necessarily animated with a 3D re-release in mind, but you wouldn't really know it from watching its latest Blu-ray incarnation. The "camera" rockets along in front of McQueen and his rivals, hugging the race track, sometimes inches away from the stock car bumpers bearing down on its position. Crowds of excitable fans extend up and into the stands, pit crews push forward into the screen, and reporters circle the winners post-race. Doc, Mater and the Radiator Springs gang loom large as their beloved town trails off into the convincing distance. The canyons snake toward the horizon, lending an even farther sense of depth to the backgrounds and, when McQueen and Sally cruise out of town, the more enveloping feeling of being on the open road. Dimensionality is also quite good -- the roundness of a tire, the slope of a hood, the curve of a highway -- and color, contrast and clarity are excellent, as expected. There isn't much pop per se, at least not of the gimmick variety, but the 3D effect is no less effective, and perhaps even more cinematic.

I did notice the slightest hint of aliasing from time to time, but it appeared in both the MVC-encoded 3D experience (Disc 1) and the AVC-encoded 2D presentation (Disc 2). Furthermore, like Monsters Inc., Cars' aliasing is presumably a product of the original animation source rather than a deficiency in either encode. Better still, those whose displays are prone to crosstalk won't be forced to contend with any significant ghosting (although there are some problematic shots in the opening and closing races when the camera sweeps over the rowdy stands), nor will 3D or 2D viewers have to endure any serious macroblocking, banding or other such eyesores. Cars remains a striking film -- yes, even some seven years past its prime -- both in 3D and 2D.

Cars 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Originally released on Blu-ray in 2007 with a terrific 24-bit uncompressed LPCM 5.1 mix, the film's 2013 3D re-release offers a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless audio track that is, for all intents and purposes, identical in every way. From Blu-ray.com's initial review: "Typical of the soundtracks for Pixar's releases, the Cars 5.1 mix is very aggressive, utilizing the rear channels and LFE to full effect. During the many racing scenes, crowd effects and automotive sounds are panned through the rear channels generously and the subwoofer is heavily utilized, giving the entire mix a very solid bottom-end and an all encompassing soundstage. EQ is also even and easy on the ears. High frequencies are never overbearing and the midrange is solid and precise. Dialogue and sound effects are delivered with absolute clarity and are well-placed and balanced throughout. Cars features a well-recorded, well-mixed track that is beautifully suited to the material at hand."

Cars 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Cine-Explore & Audio Commentaries: First up is a rather outmoded interactive commentary experience that, cumbersome bonus feature integration aside, offers a wealth of information and insight into the production. Users can choose between one of two running commentaries -- the first and most engaging with director John Lasseter, the second and most technically driven with various members of the production team -- and either access additional bonus content manually or, for a much longer, more extensive mode, view it automatically as the film progresses.
• Behind-the-Scenes Documentary (HD, 55 minutes): This seven-part documentary is a must-see for Cars fans, covering everything from "Radiator Springs" to "Character Design," "Animation and Acting," "Real World Racing: Getting Geeky with the Details," "The Hudson Hornet," "Graphics" and a "Darrel Waltrip Museum Tour."
• The Inspiration for Cars (HD, 14 minutes): Route 66 and stock car racing slide into the center lane as John Lasseter and the animation team hit the road for an extended pre-production research trip.
• Animated Shorts (17 minutes): Four animated shorts are available: "Mater and the Ghostlight" (HD), "One Man Band" (HD), a Cars-themed take on Boundin' (SD), and an enlarged version of the end-credits sequence (HD).
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 10 minutes): A series of unfinished deleted scenes with director's introductions.
• Cars Finder (HD): An interactive scavenger hunt game that can be run during the film.
• Movie Showcase (HD, 7 minutes): Remember when discs had pre-selected demo scenes as special features?

3D Blu-ray/BD/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack Contents (Subject to Change): The initial 3D combo pack release of Cars features a slipcover (with the original pressing), two BD-50 discs (one for the film's 3D presentation, the other for the 2D presentation and special features), a standard DVD copy of the film, and a downloadable digital copy. Please note: the Cars digital copy "works with iTunes", that particular version of which requires an iTunes account.

Cars 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cars may not have been originally built for 3D, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have what it takes to compete. With an excellent 3D experience, first-rate 2D and 3D encodes, a fantastic Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track, and a solid assortment of special features (among them two audio commentaries and an hour-long production documentary), Lasseter's 2006 road adventure still has plenty to offer anyone who isn't too quick to dismiss it. That said, the real question for those who already own Cars on Blu-ray is whether or not the film's 3D presentation warrants a second purchase. That's another matter entirely. There's no new bonus content whatsoever; this is simply the same version of Cars that's been available since 2007, just with the added benefit of viewing the film in 3D. The choice is yours.