On a macro level, this Cars Land an area that is almost overwhelming in its attention to detail and dedication to selling the illusion of being in the world of CARS. It takes a place that never existed and makes it real, and even if you’re not a fan of the CARS films, it’s still an impressive feat. However, there are a few small things that hold it back from true greatness. While the land works on a macro level, it sadly doesn’t have the same richness of detail that many Disneyland’s lands do. You see it, and you take it all in, and then it’s done. There are none of those subtleties that reveal themselves over time. Another big issue is music choice. This is a larger topic than I have space for here, but just as score and songs function in different ways in film, so too does instrumental area music work differently than actual songs. While area music fades into the texture of the space and enhances the feeling of it, songs call attention to themselves, and should be used sparingly and in the proper context. The songs in Cars Land work in opposition to the immersion and suspension of disbelief the area tries so hard to establish, and ends up becoming grating. It also lessens the impact of using “Sh-Boom” for the lighting ceremony at dusk. Continue reading IMG_7758
David Daut 