There’s a stigma surrounding Pixar’s Cars franchise that these films exist solely to sell toys. The box office results certainly support that feeling, with Cars 3 ranking 17 out of the 18 Pixar features at the box office. But to judge Cars 3 simply by the fact that it’s a Cars film is selling it short, and I encourage all animation fans to free your mind and give it the chance it deserves. The film is now available in a Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD Combo Pack, which is the subject of this review, and 4K fans can also enjoy it in Ultra HD. Sadly, there is no 3D buying option for this film.

It’s easy to forget just how charming and heartwarming the original 2005 Cars film was. It’s been muddied by a lackluster sequel, fifteen Mater-centric shorts, and two DisneyToon Studios spin-off films with a third on the horizon, all of which more or less lost the heart and soul of the poignant classic. The important thing to know is that Cars 3 makes no mention of any of these successive projects, feeling like a more direct follow-up to the original that is connected not only in tone, but also in spirit.

Lighting McQueen’s years at the top of the racing scene comes to an abrupt stop when a crew of next generation racers arrive, lead by superstar rookie Jackson Storm. When his sponsor, Rust-eze, is bought by a new corporate tycoon, McQueen finds himself at risk of being left in the dust. Assigned a young personal trainer named Cruz Ramirez, McQueen will need to reconnect with the elements that made him fall in love with the sport to begin with if he’s going to remain a competitor in this tough industry.

The delightful surprise is that the heart of Cars 3 comes from the relationship between Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez. He unintentionally becomes her mentor, becoming more like his idol Doc Hudson as he becomes an old-timer in a young-man’s sport. And the most groundbreaking aspect of the film is not the amazing computer rendering power that creates a photorealistic world, but the glass ceiling breaking message the film takes on. It makes a powerful statement that 2017 needs to hear and the world is going to be a better place simply because kids will grow up with a story like this in what is often perceived as a boy-centric franchise.

With an amazing soundtrack of new and classic songs, a beautiful score by Randy Newman, inspirational messages, and a whole lot of heart, Cars 3 is a return to form for the franchise. In fact, upon second viewing I can safely say that I prefer this film to the original. How often can you make a statement like that about the third entry in a franchise?

Cars 3 has been treated to a deluxe 2-disc Blu-Ray release with an entire second disc of bonus features. The combo also includes a DVD disc and all of the bonus features can be accessed through the digital copy. Fans picking up the 4K Ultra HD release simply swap the DVD disc for the 4k one. Let’s dive into the specifics of the three discs included in this release.

Bonus Features

Disc 1

• LOU (6:45) – The original short that accompanied Cars 3 in theaters finds an invisible force competing against a schoolyard bully to return items to kids from a lost & found bin.
• Miss Fritter’s Racing School (2:47) – A new short created for this release that takes place immediately after the events of the film. Miss Fritter uses her connection to Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez to help sell her new racing school service.
• Ready for the Race (5:41) – Olivia Rodrigo from Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark hosts this tour of Hendrick Motorsports, which served as the real world inspiration for Sterling’s next gen training headquarters.
• Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car that Could (7:47) – A deep exploration into the character of Cruz Ramirez and how she was created.
• FeatureCommentary (1:42:24) – Director Brian Fee, Producer Kevin Reher, Co-Producer Andrea Warren, and Creative Director Jay Ward lead this engaging commentary track. It’s full of production anecdotes, inspirations from the creative scenes, and they also point out many hidden references to Disney and Pixar films, including the pumpkin coach from Cinderella.

Disc 2

• Behind the Scenes
  • Generations: The Story of Cars 3 (11:18) – The story team discusses how they arrived at the aging athlete plot of Lightning McQueen’s third outing.
  • Let’s. Get. Crazy. (7:42) – Lea DeLaria (Miss Fritter) visits the location that inspired the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 sequence along with the creators discussing how the sequence came to be.
  • Cars to Die(cast) For (5:21) – The animators discuss the Cars merchandise phenomenon and discuss the metal diecast pieces, which now number over 1,000 after Cars 3characters were added to the Mattel line. Pixar employees also show off their personal collections.
  • Legacy (11:21) – Cars 3 pays homage to several racing legends, whose stories are explored in this featurette.
  • World’s Fastest Billboard (5:30) – Dive into the custom graphics from the film, including hidden references to other Pixar films and funny in-jokes you definitely missed.
• Fly Throughs – Three set fly throughs are presented to give you a sense of the scale and detail of these digital sets, often providing angles unseen in the film.
  • Thomasville (1:09)
  • Florida International Speedway (0:35)
  • Rust-eze Racing Center (0:54)
• My First Car
  • A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington (1:51) – The Scandal actress narrates this animated recollection of her very first car.
  • Old Blue (1:18) – Graphics Art Director Craig Foster describes his first car, a hand-me-down truck.
  • Still in the Family (2:15) – Pixar Technical Resident Valeria Barra shares her memories of receiving a car as a graduation gift in Italy.
• Deleted Scenes – Five deleted scenes are presented with a “Play All” option or individually, each with an introduction to set the scene.
  • Introduction (0:55) – Director Brian Fee provides a general introduction.
  • The Boogie Woogie (5:02) – Lightning and Cruz are about to race for the first time in this alternate version of the beach scene.
  • Lug Nuts (2:49) – An alternate version of the scene where Lightning and Cruz have a fight, in which Cruz had a little too much confidence.
  • Jars of Dirt (4:19) – Another variation of the same fight scene, which features jars of dirt from different race tracks.
  • The Bolt (4:16) – A true deleted scene that was cut because it referenced the jars of dirt and boogie woogie dance which had already been eliminated.
  • More Than New Paint (8:50) – In this scene, Sterling tells McQueen he can’t race in the third act because McQueen’s brand is worth more if he retires, so he changes his paint in defiance.
• Trailers
  • Crash – North American Teaser (0:53)
  • Icon – North American Trailer (2:25)
  • Theatrical Payoff – Japan Trailer (1:57)
  • All New – International Teaser (0:28)
  • Rivalry – Global Trailer (2:10)
• Promos
  • Cars D’oeuvres (4:27) – Short clips of character animation strung together, which were used in promotional materials for the film.
  • Car Reveals
    • Lightning McQueen (0:39) – A close up of the details in Cars 3
    • Cruz Ramirez (0:41) – A look at Cruz’s details.
    • Jackson Storm (0:39) – Jackson’s highlights get highlighted.

The only bonus features on the DVD disc are LOU and the commentary track.

Video

Cars 3 is a visually striking film, setting characters with reflective surfaces in a photo realistic world and this Blu-Ray presentation is nothing short of demo-disc material. Dark muted colors and black levels look perfect, with brighter colors popping off the screen. Details are crisp and sharp. In other words, the transfer is flawless.

In comparison, the DVD reveals a significant loss of detail and the color spectrum feels very compressed, never achieving the same quality of brights or darks as the HD version.

Audio

The main track on Blu-Ray is a DTS HD-MA 7.1 mix that makes excellent use of the sound field. Particularly during race scenes, ambient crowd noise fears the fear speakers, sound effects fill the middle, and dialogue comes from the front. Other audio options include English 5.1, 2.0, a 2.0 descriptive audio track for the visually impaired, plus French and Spanish 5.1.

The DVD offers the same audio options with the exception of the 7.1 track. It also adds a menu screen explaining why there is an English 2.0 mix on the disc, which is not offered on the Blu-Ray disc.

Packaging & Design

Cars 3 comes in a standard Blu-Ray case with disc holders on both sides of the interior. The three discs are stacked and each one contains disc art. Inserts include a digital copy code redeemable through Movies Anywhere, which can also be used on Disney Movie Rewards to get 150 points, and a flier for Disney Movie Club. The case is housed in a

The Feature BD and DVD discs open with ads for Coco, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, and the Walt Disney Signature Collection. Selecting “Sneak Peeks” from the menu plays additional ads for Disney Movie Rewards, Descendants 2, and Disneynature Dolphins. The main menu on all three discs use fly-through footage of the Florida International Speedway.

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t seen Cars 3 yet, you owe it to yourself to give it a chance. It is sure to surprise and delight audiences with its winning story and powerful themes. With some worthwhile and insightful bonus features, it’s easy to justify purchasing the film verses renting it. The real decision is whether you will stick with the Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack or future-proof your purchase with the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-Ray combo.

Related Articles

• Interview: “Cars 3” Director Brian Fee
• Interview: “Cars 3” Producer Kevin Reher
• Interview: “Cars 3” Jay Ward & Ray Evernham
• How “The Humphrey Hop” ended up in Cars 3
• The Unexpected Feminism of Cars 3
• Under the Hood of Cars 3 Part 1: Lightning McQueen Returns
• Under the Hood of Cars 3 Part 2: Jackson Storm
• Under the Hood of Cars 3 Part 3: Cruz Ramirez
• Cars 3 “Road to the Races” Tour Prepares for Victory Lap
• Album Review – Cars 3
• Game Review – Cars 3: Driven to Win
• Book Review – Cars 3: Lead the Way
• The Invisible Character Behind Pixar’s L.O.U.