`CARS' STORY TAKES A BACK SEAT TO TECHNOLOGY.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

There's little doubt that, from a technical standpoint, Pixar Animation's latest creation, ``Cars,'' runs laps around the competition. Just look at the asphalt surface on the racetrack in the opening sequence and the way the cars shed little bits of their tires each time they take a curve. Or look at the panoramic desert landscapes surrounding the film's main setting, the forgotten Route 66 town of Radiator Springs.

In fact, there's so much to examine in every lovingly rendered frame of this movie that it's easy to overlook the fact that ``Cars'' is a virtual remake of ``Doc Hollywood'' that struggles hard at times to match even the modest charms of that Michael J. Fox movie. And coming from Pixar, the company that puts story ahead of technology, this kind of a stalled effort can only feel like a disappointment.

The story has a sleek, me-first race car named Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) finding himself waylaid by the law in the aforementioned dusty desert town. There he learns Life Lessons (as opposed to the subtler brand of storytelling Pixar usually favors), finds a sweetheart in a Porsche (Bonnie Hunt) who fled the flash of Los Angeles and meets a jumble of supporting vehicles, all of whom are longing for the Good Old Days of whitewall tires, roadside kitsch and ``Leave It to Beaver'' values. (Grab a burger at a Ruby's after the movie and the circle will be complete.)

The movie's dewy-eyed romanticization of the past seems strange coming from a company known for its innovation. Directed by John Lasseter and the late Joe Ranft and credited to six screenwriters, it is clear that ``Cars'' comes from the heart, but you'll wish for jokes that were funnier and supporting characters that had the same detail as those found in movies like ``Toy Story,'' ``Finding Nemo''and ``The Incredibles.''

The film, clocking in at just under two hours, takes its time and dawdles in places, but it does grow on you, saving its best moments for the end. Its visuals are consistently dazzling. Larry the Cable Guy will have the kids in stitches playing a cornball, redneck pickup truck, and grown-ups will appreciate hearing Paul Newman's voice again, here giving life to a 1951 Hudson Horner harboring a mysterious past.

The closing credits are brilliant, though you can't help but notice it's because they invoke Pixar's glorious past and not the present moment. But while ``Cars'' feels flat and relatively uninspired, it should be noted that it's the kind of movie that I could see improving upon subsequent viewings, such as, say, the 12th or 20th time my kids ask to watch it when it comes out on DVD. For now, let's just call it a laudable letdown.

Glenn Whipp, [phone]

glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com

CARS - Three stars

(G)

Starring: Voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt.

Director: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft.

Running time: 1 hr. 56 min.

Playing: In wide release.

In a nutshell: Dazzling but also disappointing.

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Photo:

Glittering visuals are what stand out in ``Cars,'' which also features a host of celebrity voices.