In Wreck-It-Ralph, director Rich Moore depicts a world where video game villains aren’t inherently bad (in spite of their in-game evil hijinks), they’re just doing their job. Even though Pixar Studios enjoys a nearly unblemished spotlight at Disney, in-house Walt Disney Animation Studios, which has been churning out animated feature films since 1937 (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) continues to produce big screen hits for the Mouse House – including recent offerings Bolt, Tangled, and hand-drawn titles like The Princess and the Frog.
However, in an increasingly congested CGI-animation market, it’s more important than ever that animated films provide an enjoyable experience for both children and adults. Fortunately, Wreck-It-Ralph succeeds in its efforts with a solid mix of humorous adventuring, retro game nostalgia, and heartwarming story beats – one that gamers and non-gamers will easily relish.
Despite what the trailers might have indicated, knowledge of video games is not a prerequisite for appreciating Wreck-It-Ralph. Gamers will find plenty of tantalizing in-jokes (some subtle, some not-so-subtle) but, even though there are numerous easter eggs to relish, the core storyline centers around a straightforward character journey. For years, Wreck-It-Ralph (John C. Reilly) has diligently served as the antagonist to video game do-gooder, Fix-It-Felix, Jr. (Jack McBrayer). Although Ralph shares a healthy working relationship with Felix, he has grown tired of being treated like a villain after work hours and in an effort to win favor from the other characters in his game, Wreck-It-Ralph jumps into another title, Hero’s Duty, where he intends to win a medal that will prove bad guys can also be good guys.
John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman in ‘Wreck It Ralph’
In his attempt at heroism, Ralph inadvertently lands in Sugar Rush, a kid-friendly kart racing title, and falls victim to the wiles of Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), a 9-year-old racer outcast, and is forced to help the girl win an upcoming competition – in exchange for his precious medal. Although, as the pair prepare for the race, they stumble upon a mysterious plot that threatens the entire arcade, forcing Ralph to confront what it really means to be a good guy.
As mentioned, the core storyline is straightforward and, without the video game setup, Wreck-It-Ralph would tell a pretty traditional Disney tale about rejecting established identities and discovering true heroism through adversity. The central character journey follows a number of recognizable beats, and some viewers will find certain developments predictable, but familiarity doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment that the movie supplies moment to moment. Rich setpieces and a mix of intriguing game environments allow for a range of interesting visuals and, subsequently, varied action and comedy beats. Unfortunately, even though there are countless arcade cabinets shown in the film, Wreck-It-Ralph only explores a tiny fraction of the available game worlds – leaving plenty of room for further franchise misadventures. The plot permits a few entertaining insights into the interconnected arcade world (such as Ralph’s Bad-Anon support group) but gaming fans looking to be inundated with cameos and other iconic gaming culture hat tips may find that the larger Wreck-It-Ralph story doesn’t include quite as much fan service as they might expect. However, even though some viewers might have hoped for a game-hopping adventure, the limited scope ultimately keeps everything tight – in service of a sharp character-focused story.
Ralph and Vanellope, like any good animated buddy film stars, create a smart mix of tenderness and humor – with a fun chemistry that both adults and children will be able to appreciate (even if the characters are surrounded by tongue-in-cheek setups like Nestle Quik-sand and Laffy Taffy tree vines). Regardless of the self-centered motivations in their initial encounter, and plenty of campy lessons about friendship, the two main players contain a surprising amount of depth – imparting a worthwhile and fitting commentary about acceptance and personal identity. Even if the overarching narrative is cut from a familiar Disney fairytale cloth, the video game backdrop breathes a lot of life into what would otherwise be tired character tropes – presenting a surprisingly unique, and amusing to watch, pair of underdogs.
Jane Lynch as Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun in ‘Wreck-It-Ralph’
The rich cast of supporting players, riffing on a diverse set of notable game inspirations, provide clever interpersonal drama and fun juxtapositions that compliment the main storyline – best exemplified by the oddball pairing of 8-Bit Felix, Jr. and Hero’s Duty heroine, Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun (Jane Lynch). Not only do the characters allow for a humorous glimpse into the evolution of game design, their varied personalities supply an compelling range of conflicts and humorous interactions. As mentioned, even though there are plenty of smaller cameos, none of the iconic franchise faces distract from the primary story beats – serving to add additional humor and immersion without taking anything away from the main plot.
A lot of moviegoers still believe that low quality CGI toon projects should get a pass because they’re just “kid movies” but films like Wreck-It-Ralph remind us that superior animated pictures are more than just cheep gags and one-note cliches – considering the film puts a new spin on tried-and-true stories about friendship and heroism. Not every element of Wreck-It-Ralph is entirely fresh, and some audience members may see a few of the twists and turns coming, but the movie excels with charming characters and a unique setting – delivering thoughtful insights for both young and old viewers.
The movie only skims the surface of its rich video game universe, and future installments could provide a more expansive look at the interconnected arcade world (plus make room for new cameos) but Moore shows smart restraint. Wreck-It-Ralph enjoys a healthy ratio of accessible character drama and goofy gaming gags – resulting in an exceptionally entertaining, and heartfelt, animated adventure.
If you’re still on the fence about Wreck-It-Ralph, check out the trailer below:
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Check out an in-depth discussion of the film by the Screen Rant editors in our Wreck-It-Ralph episode of the SR Underground podcast. Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below.
Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.
Wreck-It-Ralph is Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence. Now playing in theaters.
Our Rating:
4 out of 5
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Wait… Tangled is CGI. I think you meant The Princess and the Frog.
Good catch Tom! I had a big list of movies in there and forgot to move them around.
Glad to see you gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Have been looking forward to seeing Wreck-It Ralph. I’m ok with the movie not being oversaturated with iconic video game characters just for the sake they can be used in future installments and make for another compelling story to keep it fresh. Will definitely be watching Ralph this weekend.
Well after reading this review I’m very excited to watch it. Thanks Ben! ><V
Sure thing!
Love you Ben Kendrick. <3<3<3
Please, no more CGI animation, it ruins live action films with low quality effects, and we are losing traditional animation, which is a real art form that takes talent, not low skilled computer drones.
You have no idea what you are talking about. Just sayin’.
While traditional animation is not so heavily computerized, nowadays, I’t doesn’t require half the people it used to because of digital techniques, also, CGI sculptors, colorist and animators are most of the time very talented artists.
I hope you are kidding. CGI animation films like this take just as much skill and time to nail.
I so agree, traditional animation is the best animation. ahh the good ol cartoons.
Ahahhaha
Ahahahahahah
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Wow, people like you make me laugh until I cry. It’s like you don’t realise that CGI films still take talent, time, and effort. CGI animation isn’t cranked out by computers; there are storyboard artists, character designers, colour designers, texture designers, animation directors, and countless other roles in animation production – and the animators themselves have to dedicate their time and talents in order to make what you ultimately see on the screen. These people have a desire to create, and they work with each other in order to create some truly breathtaking things. PLUS, traditional animation, while still a valid medium, takes SO MUCH MORE time, and it takes SO MUCH MORE MONEY. It’s not practical to use traditional animation as much as it was before the reign of CGI. This a world where CGI animation is progressively becoming faster and easier to utilise with each new day, so stop it with the forced nostalgia and talk about things that you actually know about, please.
@loser-peggy-likes
Um, no talent? Ok, how about you imagine it this way, you’re a director, you direct a bunch of guys in a scene. You SEE how their move, their facial expressions, and how that all intermingles with the scene, sounds, dialog, etc… So you can make changes or adjustments on the fly to make that scene really feel complete. Now imagine being a director of an animated movie. You have the dialog in front of you and the description of the scene, then you have to listen to the voice actors read their lines, and you basically have to IMAGINE how that scene will look all put together. From that you’ll have to decide how exactly you want each character to act and whether the dialog works as written or if changes need to be made. All of this without anything visual to go by, just rough drawings and your imagination. Now which one sounds more difficult to get right??
Sorry, but animated movies take TONS of talent. Sure you can make an CGI animated movie easily, but if you don’t spend that time and talent on it, it’ll end up terrible. When an animated movie works, like The Incredibles, Up, Despicable Me, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, etc. etc. That means A LOT of talent and hard work went in to making that. Look at Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind when I heard they hired Brad Bird to direct it. If he can make The Incredibles from just computer code to a family we can all believe and relate to, he’s more than qualified to direct a live-action movie…
Nice review,was looking forward to this one !
Thanks !
Cheers! Glad it was helpful.
Is it just me or Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun looks a little bit like Deunan Knute from the Appleseed Anime???
Well I guess I will be seeing this with my daughter then seeing Man with the Iron fists by myself.
I enjoyed this a lot and found it far superior to brave. only behind pirates! Band of misfits to me.
who cares if it wasn’t all out ‘fan service’ to gamers, i look at the easter eggs and cameo appearances of known game characters as an added bonus to a pretty movie that has a meaning behind it. ever since i saw the 1st trailer for this i knew i was going to like it b/c of the themes the movie would explore and like you said, the comparison of old school gaming to modern gaming.
Just saw the movie and I have to say its probably my favorite of all year and that includes
D. knight rises
avengers
prometheus
chronicle
hunger games
ted
cabin in the woods
This movie was better than ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!XD
5/5 imo and my new favorite disney film.
Saw this in an advanced screening. I liked it.
There was one scene that was downright hard to watch, they did a good job of making you feel her anguish in that scene and it was actually really sad even though it is an animated movie.
Good way to beat around the bush to avoid a spoiler. Appreciate that
@Kels
I hope you’re not being sarcastic, because I actually retyped that sentence like 5 times trying to not spoil anything for those who have not yet seen it but still make it so those who have seen the movie will know which scene I mean…
I like the way SR does movie reviews. Gives the essence and feeling of the movie without revealing spoilers. It’s amazing how so many so-called professional movie critics cannot do that. Some of the morons either just give their retarded opinion without saying why, or just write a synopsis of the movie, replete with spoilers (a synopsis is NOT a critique).
It takes great skill to covey the feel and aspects of a movie without giving away the plot. This is one reason I read SR. Just wanted to drop a kudos.
Thanks! Glad the reviews are helpful.
Can’t wait to see this! Was sold from the 1st trailer and gonna do a late night viewing with my gamer pals… plus, it’s my BIRTHDAY!! Hoorraaayyy!!! X-D
Happy Birthday Lei!
This movie sucks, don’t buy into the hype. It’s just a typical kiddie movie.
What did you expect from Disney?
No hype…just an excellent film that both kids AND adults can enjoy.
I saw this yesterday, and I thought it was wonderful…I agree with one of the comments above that this was much better than “Brave”. I found it on par with “Frankenweenie”, which I also loved. Disney is having a great animated year.
I have a feeling pixar is on a downfall the next couple years they only got sequals/ prequels while DreamWorks has some promising original ideas.
I disagree. “Rise of the Guardians” is not very original at all; the idea of a team of holiday heroes is not something thought out of thin air. “The Santa Clause 2″ gave the idea that these people worked together in some way, but “Rise of the Guardians” just feels uninteresting when you have hundreds of holiday movies and, of course, movies where famous characters team up: “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”, “The Avengers”, etc. and don’t get me wrong, I liked both of those movies. But the concept of this new movie just seems so over done in both perspectives. Guess I’ll just wait and find out
RotG DOES add a unique element in the ATTITUDES of the entities. Since that is an important component of the film, I’d say it IS original.
Not to mention the elves seem to behave exactly like the minions in Despicable Me…
All of the video game references and cameos were really nice. I also liked how Disney included a violent shooter game (Hero’s Duty) in the PG rated movie. The plot overall was great but I too agree there could had been more room for the other games besides being just in Sugar Rush for most of the movie. My favorite part is probably how they keep calling Vanellope a glitch in the game. it makes it sound like Disney actually knew what they were doing in a movie centered around gaming.
Good job Disney
Best animation of the year two thumbs way up!
That movie I expected better. The first 20 or so minutes was great until Ralph ended up in Sugar Rush and then it focussed on that mainly. I mean seriously he could of visited the other arcade worlds. The trailer was disappointing when I found out that key characters didn’t have much screen time like they should of. I understand that they couldn’t have Mario in it, but still I think Nintendo should of had him. The other good guys or possibly villains helping out in some way would of been nice. The Sugar Rush was too much like strawberry shortcake knock offs mixed in with candy land. That is where it became too ridiculous to me. Next time Disney should focus on other worlds and not stay focussed on one and stick with it.
When is this comming in Australia? I saw a trailer and OMG! Sonic is there! Sonic! It’s about time they made a movie with him in it! Maybe, just maybe, the next step is a Sonic movie….ya never know…
Thanks so much!!!! I really wanted a wholehearted reviewer that really made the movie sound worthwhile! Luv u!
hi there i want them make a video game version were mario can be in halo or master chief in mario or aliens in pac man game makers can make a lot of money open console open acess too all carerters
hi there yeah need wrek it ralph part 2 more video game wrolds please
Would be great for someone to check on what i’m going to post, since i saw this film on a short plane flight and didn’t get time to recheck.
In the scene when Ralph throws his Hero medal against the screen of the arcade machine, he saw the Sugar Rush arcade machine while standing at a balcony of the penthouse (and realized that Vanellope’s picture is on the side of the Sugar Rush arcade machine). However, at the ending when Ralph is about to be thrown off the roof, he says that he doesn’t mind being thrown off, because he can only see the Sugar Rush arcade screen when he is lifted by the people. So…can he see the arcade machine from that balcony of the penthouse, or only when the people lift him up on the roof?
I had the choose between “Wreck-it-Ralph” and “Rise of the Guardians”
BEST…DECISION…EVER!
I loved every moment of “Wreck-it_Ralph”. I also got most of the video game puns throughout some scenes. I am glad that this is the resurrection of Disney’s Animation Studios.
Strong female characters, unique story, I smell an Oscar!
this cool game rocks can not await the following update.