Tow Mater (Cars 2; film)

If you are looking for the character of the same name in Cars, Cars 2: The Video Game, Cars 3, and Cars on the Road, see Tow Mater (Cars, Cars 2: The Video Game, Cars 3, Cars on the Road).

Tow Mater (more commonly known as Mater) is an anthropomorphic tow truck that first appeared in the 7th Pixar film Cars.

He unfortunately, got flanderized after he became the protagonist of the 12th Pixar film, Cars 2.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) If the movie showed us anything, is that he still has some development to do if he wants to be a good main protagonist. Yes, as mh:greatcharacters:Lightning McQueen's best friend, he certainly deserved more screen time and participation, but that's a bit too overkill.
 * 2) By having him, a side character who served as comic relief in the first movie, as the main protagonist instead of Lightning McQueen makes the movie feel a lot more like a spin-off or even a full-length adaptation of Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales rather than an actual sequel. And this didn't work out for one particular reason:
 * 3) * The Film's Major False Advertising: The posters, trailers, TV spots, promotional stills, concept art, and even the DVD cover all seem to give the allusion that Lightning McQueen would be the major main protagonist. And seeing that McQueen and his strong friendship is meant to be the film's main emotional center, having Lightning join the main espionage plot could've taken far better advantage of that. And not only Lightning McQueen is not the real main character, but he's also more of a supporting character considering his little screentime.
 * 4) Instead of being just a tow truck, he was reduced to being a (poorly executed) spy.
 * 5) * However, while his spy subplot is interesting on paper, it didn't feel developed enough.
 * He, himself, is essentially flanderized and out of character; in the first film, he was a silly comic relief and likable goofball with a big heart, but however, in this movie, he acts way more immature and idiotic to the point where he becomes incredibly annoying and unlikable sometimes.
 * 1) While awesome and not directly unlikable characters, the problem with Finn and Holley is that they're both too oblivious to him, seeing how he constantly tells them he's not a spy while proving that multiple times, and yet even after all that, they still believe he's a top spy.
 * 2) The Universe Starts to Make no Sense: There's a scene where he writes a letter to McQueen, but how could he use a pen without hands if they use their tires and suspensions for them?
 * 3) The mystery plot twist of the true Lemons leader and mastermind only exists to give a "Mater is smart moment" when he revealed who Axlerod truly is and even then, he still acts like an idiot even after he has Axlerod arrested in the next scene like it never happened. Also, his reasoning doesn't make any sense. How did he manage to know Axlerod's engine is the same as the one from the picture? Sure, the same bolts in the engine as the ones in his time bomb. But how does any of that relate to Axlerod having the engine? And in the oil leak scene, most of the oil was flowing from him, so it is one very small, but very important detail that doesn't make it sensible as a justification.
 * 4) That scene when he realizes everyone considers him an idiot tries way too hard to be emotional, but just fails so bad to the point where it's laughable.
 * 5) He went from being the Dory to McQueen's Marlin to a clueless tow truck who constantly embarrasses and sometimes even hinders Lightning because of it.
 * 6) He gets overly excited when he sees Lightning back in town, which wouldn't be a problem if he didn't keep bonking Otis into the road (though, that being said, this scene arguably seems kind of funny).
 * 7) He can be seen disturbing other vehicles such as trains, dump trucks, etc. in Radiator Springs at the beginning of the film.
 * 8) He also wants to befriend foreign cars just because he saw them on TV, and he is excited to see them in person to the point it gets annoying really quick.
 * 9) Because of his line "Stay outside, got you.", he even made McQueen lose the Tokyo race. However, despite this, it was truly an accident. Though he didn't mean to do so.
 * 10) He became more of a dimwit and dumber than he was, but not in a good way unlike how he was in Cars, Cars 3, etc.
 * 11) He can be pretty indecent and ignorant, as seen in the scene where he leaves the bathroom and immediately "farts" right in front of Holley.
 * 12) * But to be fair, he didn't really see her, so it can be considered an accident too.
 * 13) His personality is inconsistent through the film; some scenes show him being smart and providing Finn and Holley with useful info, but it backtracks sometimes to show him doing dumb things, like interrupting the traffic in Paris, and making fun of the royal guard Sgt. Highgear, in London.
 * 14) In the film, he was a less fool or maybe more, make much mistakes, Finn McMissile's words understand about his mistakes in the rest of the movie, and finally he learned a lesson to the end of the film, and in Cars 3, he returned to be loved and dear than the first movie.

Good Qualities

 * 1) GOOD: He redeems back to his old-self in Cars 2: The Video Game, and in Cars 3 at the expense of not being nearly as involved in the plot, and also gives the support McQueen needs whenever he feels down. Thankfully, he hasn't appeared much as he did in the second film.
 * 2) * Even if he's one of the two main protagonists in Cars on the Road along with McQueen, he is still good.
 * 3) The relationship between him and Holley is funny and adorable.
 * 4) There were some funny scenes involving him, like the said scene as said in BQ #4, him accidentally going into the girls' bathroom, mistaking wasabi for pistachio ice cream (especially with the "Whatever you do, do NOT EAT, the free pistachio ice cream! It has turned." line), and almost gave away Alexander Hugo's identity.
 * 5) *More quotes:
 * 6) **"I have no idea what you're talking about, Alexander Hugo, A.K.A Chop Shop Alex. Hey, you got a lot of A.K.As, Alex, but I guess that makes sense, seeing as how you're wanted in France, Germany, the Czech Republic-"
 * 7) ***"MATER, STOP IT!"
 * 8) **"Wow! A live karate demonstration!"
 * 9) The scene where he uses the rockets he used to keep away from McQueen and more parts of it so on were actually pretty awesome and exciting.
 * 10) *The Epilogue scene is actually awesome too, especially with him about to tow Otis with his rockets on, a faster nod to the beginning.
 * 11) He did a nice job as a spy, figuring out that Miles Axlerod was behind the alternative fuel conspiracy.
 * 12) He does live up to his first line in the movie "Mater, Tow Mater, is HERE to help ya", since he actually helped Otis, Finn, Holley and Lightning (the latter three at the final moments of the film).
 * 13) The scene where he has hallucinations may have made some fans feel sympathetic at him, despite being hard to be taken seriously.
 * 14) He's aware of his mistakes and mishaps.
 * 15) Larry the Cable Guy still gives a good performance.
 * 16) Despite never being mentioned prior to Cars 2, his knowledge about lemon cars is in character, since he runs a car salvage business.
 * 17) Despite BQ #6, he did have a good reason, because he didn’t like no one talking mean stuff about Lightning McQueen.
 * 18) Despite not being developed enough, his spy subplot is interesting on paper.

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