Featured as a supplement on the CARS DVD, this short is the worst one based on characters from a Pixar feature and is one of the weaker shorts the studio has done. More so than MIKE'S NEW CAR and JACK-JACK ATTACK, the film feels like a product not a short that needed to be made.
Filled with the characters from CARS, Mater the Tow Truck (Larry the Cable Guy) sneaks around Radiator Springs trying to scare or play tricks on various inhabitants. As a way to get back at him, Sheriff (Michael Wallis) tells Mater the spooky tale of the ghostlight, which haunts the streets of the town in the dark. So as Mater heads home, his tires shake with fear that the ghostly blue light will find him.
The story isn't all that original. The tale fits the characters, but it seems like a story we've seen many times before. The gags aren't even some of the best from the studio. They're either obvious or feel like leftovers that didn't make it into the feature. Nonetheless, though it may be disappointing, it's still entertaining. The few gags that work are clever. Plus, Mater is a very likable character. Larry the Cable Guy is perfect as the voice. It just goes to show that even when Pixar isn't firing at all cylinders, they still make films that are better than most of the competition.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
