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Tim Lammers reviews 'Cars 3'

Tim Lammers, Syndicated Movie Reporter, joined the KARE 11 News at 11 to review "Cars 3".

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Tim Lammers, Syndicated Movie Reporter, joined the KARE 11 News at 11 to review "Cars 3".

NEW RELEASE: "Cars 3" (PG) 2 1/2 stars (out of 4); Kid Quotient: 3 stars (out of 4)

Pixar gets back to basics with mixed results with "Cars 3," a semi-entertaining sequel that's better than "Cars 2," but far inferior to the brilliant 2006 original.

Owen Wilson is back as the Lightning McQueen, the once champion hotrod-turned-aging machine that can't quite keep up to the high-tech cars that are taking over the racing circuit. Pushing himself to the limit, Lightning gets into a catastrophic crash, and once repaired he must determine whether he's going to get back on track or come to grips that maybe his best days are far behind him.

The film in many ways repeats what we've seen in the original, save a few new characters to help set up the film's core narrative. Larry the Cable Guy is back and funny as ever as Lightning's dimwitted best friend Tow Mater, but is woefully underused.

On the plus side, the late Paul Newman's voice (from the previously unused material) is also utilized in flashback scenes, which gives weight to the film's wonderful sub-narrative about the importance of mentorship. Ultimately, "Cars 3" isn't a bad film, just a barely above average one from a studio that we've come to expect a lot more from.

ON VIDEO THIS WEEK: "John Wick: Chapter 2" (R) 3 1/2 stars (out of 4); Kid Quotient: None

After the blistering success of the first film in 2014, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is back with a vengeance in “John Wick: Chapter 2,” a rare sequel that's superior to its original. Wick finds himself on the flip side of the action this time around, as he becomes the target of a hit when the repayment of a debt doesn't go off as planned.

The action is frenetic and completely engrossing in "John Wick: Chapter 2," as Wick takes out the bad guys one by one, whether be with the use of guns, hand-to-hand combat or even a pencil. The 52-year-old Reeves is spectacular form and incredible shape as Wick, and easily carries the movie on his own as the body count piles up.

As great as Reeves is, Laurence Fishburne steals the show in one pivotal scene, and with any luck, he'll have a bigger role in Wick's planned next chapter.

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