While having not having liked “CARS,” this reviewer was not expecting much of “CARS 2,” just released on blu-ray3d by BUENA VISTA. In spite of great voice casting(Who couldn’t like listening to Paul Newman?) the original “CARS” just seemed pretty blah! It lacked the incredible imagination offered in every other PIXAR release! Perhaps most disappointing, it got boring, fast!

“CARS 2” still isn’t up there with “FINDING NEMO,” or “TOY STORY,” but it’s better than “CARS” and it manages to keep viewers young “and” old, engaged throughout! Although it’s sad to find that Mack, Luigi, Guido and other great characters from the previous film have little time in “CARS 2,” at least Lighting McQueen(Owen Wilson)and Mater(Larry the Cable Guy)are back! The plot to “CARS 2” revolves around an oil tycoon’s attempt to build acclaim for a special fuel called Allinol, by hosting a major Grand Prix, while a nefarious professor Zundapp(Thomas Kretschmann of “Valkyrie”) is out to ruin the race and keep the world dependent on oil. Of course, Lighting McQueen and Mater aren’t going to let that happen and they’re aided by some extremely fun talent, led by a British spy, Finn McMissile(Michael Caine) and others. McMissile is truly the best character in “CARS 2,” and the way his character zooms on-screen and steals the film makes for the most exciting part of “CARS 2,” and leaves viewers wanting plenty more of him! Unfortunately, like many characters from the first “CARS” film, for some reason, McMissile isn’t as appreciated by the filmmakers as by the viewers. Hopefully, they’ll learn from this mistake. “If” PIXAR could develop an entire film with the same degree of excitement encompassing its full running time around McMissile, as it did briefly here, it could be a great franchise!!! Really!

While far from perfect, “CARS 2” has its poignant moments, a fair share of big laughs, and visually stunning sequence upon visually stunning sequence. It may not be as re-watchable as some other superior “PIXAR” releases, but it’s still very entertaining.

BUENA VISTA has provided the correct 2.40:1 aspect ratio for this MVC MPEG-4 1080p blu-ray. WOW! Easily one of the best looking blu-ray3d releases available! The neon streets come to life with a depth that really showcase the potential of the 3d format, and make it as exciting as early adapters had always hoped it to be! The way in which landscapes present around the various characters with a kind of kinetic thrill, otherwise lost in 2d or inferior 3d, is nothing short of amazing! While many would reasonably expect the greatest impact of a 3d sequence revolves around an object jutting straight towards the viewer from the screen, “CARS 2” exemplifies how impressive other 3d effects can be when flawlessly mastered! “CARS 2” in blu-ray3d, is the kind of presentation that will likely win over many to the format if viewed.

Colors are extremely bold and vibrant in both 2d and 3d. Blacks are inky, and the detail on both formats is just spectacular. Upon viewing the 2d as well as the 3d blu-ray versions, while both are stunning, the blu-ray3d wins out, purely due to the added “oomph” of 3d. Otherwise, they are on equal par. This is quite a compliment for the 3d format as a whole, considering how much it suffered in brightness in comparison to 2d counterparts when the few early blu-ray3d releases were made available.

DISNEY has provided a DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix. From beginning to end, this lossy mix is nothing short of enthralling!!! Even within a whirling cascade of a busying raceway, loaded with discrete and panning effects, bass, music and flawlessly rendered dialogue are perfectly balanced. This is a precision-handled mix, and the kind that’s actually so technically and creatively impressive, it would be easy to understand if the sound design were to be nominated for an Oscar! A great mix!!!!

As far as extras go, WOW, again!!! DISNEY has loaded this blu-ray3d combo pack with plenty to please fans!!!

An audio commentary with the film’s directors, reveals any and everything one could want to know about the film’s development and production. While it will please aspiring filmmakers and storytellers, it’s actually entertaining in large portions as well!

A variety of featurettes, all in HD, explore various aspects of the film’s production, with the best dealing with the development of the film’s opening sequence. There are a couple hit-or-miss featurettes, but for the most part, there’s a lot of great stuff here!!!