Wreck-It Ralph has been teased for months and it looked too good to be true; Street Fighter stars like M.Bison and Zangief, Pac Man, Zombies, Sonic, Wreck-It Ralph and more all in the same movie – all working together in one film, no way!?
Well it turns out yes way. The story sees “bad guy” Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) tormented by his bad guy label and pouring his heart out in Alcoholics Anoymous-style “Bad Guy’s” sharing sessions, attended by some of the most iconic video game baddies from across the generations – a definite highlight in the film which provides the theme of the film encapsulated in this classic line:
Just because you are bad guy, doesn’t mean you are, ‘BAD GUY’!” ~ Zangief (Street Fighter)
And in a bid to win the approval of the inhabitants of his arcade game ‘Fix-It Felix’, he goes in search of a hero’s medal sparking a crazy game-hopping and hilarious adventure. On his quest, Ralph meets the tough and sexy Sergeant Calhoun (Voiced by Jane Lynch) and finds his first real friendship with outcast Vanellope von Schweetz (voiced by Sarah Silverman) from candy-coated kart racer, Sugar Rush. As the unlikely pair work together on turning their lives around a deadly enemy is unleashed that threatens to destroy the entire arcade, giving Ralph a real chance to save the day and be the hero.
The film looks glorious and is one of the strongest if not thee strongest Pixar-free animation they’ve ever created. After finally laying my eyes on it’s glory I can confirm Wreck-It Ralph answers the hype with sharp laugh-out-loud humour, irresistibly lovable characters and a strong story to hold the all-star mix together.
As a lifelong video gamer I was hooked throughout and loved the gaming references. [SPOILER ALERT] I was surprised by a twist towards the end and was moved by Vanellope’s plight. My only concern was that much of the themes and references seem too reliant on the maturity of the viewer and if this is a children’s movie I feel as though the best of the jokes will go over the heads of a young audience. Perhaps I’m wrong, but it will be interesting to see how children react to it.
Anywho, with that said, Wreck-It Ralph exceeded the hype for me even though I was left wanting more (probably saved for the Blu-Ray release), and Disney successfully brought together some of the most iconic characters of my childhood in an authentic, heartfelt and often hilarious way.
VERDICT: 4.5 out of 5
Wreck-It Ralph is out in the UK this Friday the 8th of February.
