WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — John Lasseter dug into his shrimp parmigiana, thought for a moment or two and tried to describe the pressure of directing a big-budget sequel like “Cars 2.”

It’s a bit, he said, like being a trapeze artist with a death wish. “Not only is there no net,” he said. “You’re doing it over spikes with poisoned ends.”

Mr. Lasseter, 54, a founder of Pixar Animation and its chief creative officer, was not talking about film critics, per se. But it was hard not to read his comment that way, given the acid response many had to “Cars 2,” which was released in June and was Mr. Lasseter’s fifth turn in the director’s chair for a feature-length film. Several of the most influential critics cheered the movie, but far more were negative, even gleefully so. They had been waiting a long time for this opportunity, after all. Lemon! Junk! Clunker!

Pixar and Mr. Lasseter, accustomed to rapturous notices, absorbed the thrashing in silence, comforted that audiences did not seem to agree: “Cars 2” took in $551 million at the global box office, 20 percent more than its predecessor did in 2006. (The film is still playing overseas.) Ticket buyers also gave the film an A– in exit polls, on par with other Pixar titles.