Rated PG (Some
Rude Humor and Mild Action\Violence)
Running Time: 1
Hour & 41 Minutes
Cast (voice)-
John C. Reilly -Wreck-It Ralph
Sarah
Silverman-Vanellope von Schweetz
Jack
McBrayer-Fix-It Felix, Jr.
Jane
Lynch-Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun
Alan Tudyk-King
Candy
Mindy
Kaling-Taffyta Muttonfudge
Ed O'Neill-Mr.
Litwak
Dennis
Haysbert-General Hologram
Raymond
Persi-Mayor Gene/Zombie
Maurice
LaMarche-Root Beer Tapper
Rich Moore-Sour
Bill/Zangief
Kevin Deters-Clyde
the Ghost
Roger Craig
Smith-Sonic the Hedgehog
Kyle Hebert-Ryu
Reuben Langdon-Ken
Masters
Jamie Sparer
Roberts-Yuni Verse
Skrillex-DJ
Directed by Rich
Moore
 |
| Can you spot all the video game characters in this picture? |
I still remember
the first (and only) time my parents took me to the arcade. I distinctly recall
a Mortal Kombat game that involved a
holographic Kitana (or was it Sonya Blade?) and randomly pushing the buttons
with wild abandon. Although I dabbled in handhelds like the original GameBoy, I
didn't touch a game again until high school (you can thank my Asian upbringing
for that) when I picked up Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo and StarCraft at a
bargain price. I've been gaming for close to six years and I'm damn proud of
it. Games open up a whole new realm of imagination, which Rich Moore has taken advantage
of with his feature-length debut "Wreck-It Ralph," the latest from
Walt Disney Animation Studios. There's something decidedly Pixar-like with
Moore's film and while its story may fail to break new ground, "Wreck-It
Ralph" remains a loving, nostalgic valentine to the video games of
yesteryear, backed up by a lively voice cast that lends the film not only
plenty of wit and charm, but also heart as well.
The film is preceded by an adorable, dialogue-less short titled
"Paperman." Once the lights go out at Litvak's Arcade, the
various video game characters are free to leave their in-game roles and travel
to other games using the electrical outlets and surge protectors as a tramway
system. Within the arcade game Fix-It
Felix, Jr., the inhabitants, called Nicelanders, celebrate its titular hero
(Jack McBrayer) by awarding him medals but shun the villain, Wreck-It Ralph
(John C. Reilly). Attending a support group for video game villains called Bad-Anon, Ralph reveals his unhappiness
with his role and desire to be viewed as a hero like Felix. The other villains,
which includes Clyde the Ghost (from Pac-Man),
Bowser (from Super Mario), and
Zangief (from Street Fighter),
reassure Ralph that it is their job to be bad but that doesn't mean that they
are bad themselves. The group closes the meeting by reciting the bad guy oath
('I am bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. I will
always be me') before returning to Game Central Station—where the various video
game characters travel from game to game. It is the thirtieth anniversary of Fix-It Felix, Jr. and the Nicelanders
throw a lavish party for Felix, with Pac-Man himself in attendance. Although
uninvited, Ralph decides to join as well but instead makes a mess. Mayor Gene
(Raymond Persi) asserts that bad guys like him will never win a medal or be
viewed as a hero. Fed up by their mistreatment, Ralph sets out to prove them
wrong. He visits Tapper to vent his
frustrations and comes across a soldier from a new first-person shooter called Hero's Duty. The soldier reveals that
the winner receives a medal but then knocks himself unconscious upon seeing a
bug. Ralph takes his armor and jumps into Hero's
Duty, where he encounters the tough-as-nails Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun
(Jane Lynch). Despite the game's hostile environment, Ralph manages to obtain
the medal but inadvertently ends up in the candy-coated, cart racing world of Sugar Rush due to his clumsiness. A
bratty little girl named Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) steals his
medal and in order to get it back, Ralph has to help her win a race against the
tyrannical King Candy (Alan Tudyk).
The concept of "Wreck-It Ralph" bears
some similarity to Pixar's "Toy Story" but instead of the toys coming
alive once the humans are not around, it's video game characters. As a gamer
myself, I had a great time watching the film, although I was somewhat
disappointed that the various characters licensed from Sega, Capcom, etc. were
relegated to little more than cameos. Zangief and M. Bison get a few lines at
the support group that Ralph attends but others like Ryu, Ken, and even Sonic
only appear in the background or have one line. Still, having them adds a lot
of life to the world that Moore and his CG animators have created, which is
chock full of references to both the 8-bit arcade games of yore and the high
definition console/PC games of today. At one point, Felix finds himself
mesmerized by Sergeant Calhoun's HD textures! Fix-It Felix, Jr. resembles 1981's Donkey Kong, which featured the first appearances of the titular ape
and Mario (named Jumpman) while Hero's
Duty is a mash-up of Call of Duty
and Halo. Calhoun even looks like the
female version of Commander Shepard from BioWare's Mass Effect and the soldiers she commands wear armor similar to
Master Chief. Finally, Sugar Rush
imitates the colorful cart racing games popularized by Nintendo. The innocent
tone of the 8-bit era and the current HD era is humorously observed when Ralph
remarks, 'When did video games become so violent? It's scary out here!' While
these video game references create a cross-generational appeal with children
and adults, there also has to be a story worth telling. In this instance, the
film plays it safe, sticking to a traditional tale of a villain searching for
redemption ala "Despicable Me." Fortunately, it has a lot of heart
thanks to the friendship between Ralph and the absolutely adorable Vanellope,
plus the dialogue is witty and crackles with energy. I also admit to feeling a
little emotional at certain points, which I won't spoil. "Wreck-It
Ralph" is not only about accepting others who are different but also
accepting yourself and who you are. It's a tried-and-true message that's
thankfully not shoved down our throats. The only complaint is that the product
placement can get a little too much, which includes exploding Mentos and
Nesquik Sand.
With its vibrant worlds and CG animation, Moore's film was born
to be in 3D and the results are impressive, if not exactly groundbreaking. He
doesn't dabble in gimmicky effects like having objects constantly pop out of
the screen but instead focuses on depth, making the world that Ralph inhabits
feel tangible before our eyes. There are no brightness issues and the image is
incredibly crisp; this is one instance where plunking down the extra $5 is
worth it. The voice cast is one of the reasons that make "Wreck-It
Ralph" so fun to watch. John C. Reilly brings a good-natured, if slightly
oafish demeanor to Ralph but it is Sarah Silverman who steals the film. She's
clearly having a lot of fun, injecting Vanellope with a sweet, bratty spunk
that's hard not to love. In a way, Silverman is channeling herself onto the
character, but keeps a lid on her potty mouth. Jane Lynch's Sergeant Calhoun
and Jack McBrayer's Felix make for a hilarious odd couple, with Calhoun's
no-nonsense attitude juxtaposed by Felix's innocent charm. Alan Tudyk is
virtually unrecognizable as King Candy, exhibiting a kind exterior that belies
his crazed, schizophrenic personality.
Released on November 2, 2012,
"Wreck-It Ralph" has received positive reviews with 86% on Rotten
Tomatoes. Critics hailed the film as 'a clever, colorful adventure' that proves
to be 'equally entertaining for both kids and parents old enough to catch the
references.' It debuted to a strong $49 million and is on track for a final
tally of at least $150 million, not to mention it hasn't opened in every
foreign market. Even on a weekday, the theater was packed with families and it
was clear that everyone enjoyed the film. I was also surprised that a little
kid got the Metal Gear reference.
"Wreck-It Ralph" may feature a familiar story but it's one of the
most enjoyable animated films this year, boasting a world whose surface has
barely been scratched. This is a flick that earns its high score with flying
colors.
Final Rating: 4
out of 5
"It's hard to
love your job, when no one else seems to like you for doing it..."
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