WRECK-IT RALPH movie review

by Alexandra McClain
Wreck- it Ralph isn’t the typical hero’s tale one might expect. Once the arcade closes the real adventure begins for Fix-it Felix Jr’s resident villain, Wreck-it Ralph.
After 30 years of playing the bad guy for Fix it Felix Jr., Ralph is determined to gain the respect of his fellow game members by earning a hero medal of his own. Although he’s been told by fellow villains not to mess with the program and that it’s impossible to change who they are, Ralph sets out on an adventure to go against the odds. In his search for a gold medal he indirectly causes unforeseen havoc among the gaming community.
During his journey Ralph meets new friends and explores video game worlds different from his own. Ralph hops between gaming worlds like Hero’s Duty where he meets hardcore “dynamite gal” Sargent Calhoun voiced by Glee’s Jane Lynch. He later ends up in the over the top confection filled Sugar Rush race car game where he meets the sassy misfit Vanellope Von Schweetz voiced by Sarah Silverman. And who can forget the adorable and bashful Felix from Fix-it Felix Jr. who can’t help but fix everything he touches. Every character gives the audience something to laugh about. Disney managed to create a loveable batch of video characters for this film. Although it’s quite the mesh up of characters, they all hold their own spotlight and they each have personalities that work well with one another.
Wreck-it Ralph is every video gamers dream come true. The graphics are some of the best done by Disney animation to date. They really make the video game world come to life. Seeing the contrast in the different video game worlds is stunning. The attention to detail is evident from the way the arcade is set up to the inner working of Gaming Central Station. Disney even nailed it down to the way the characters move in subtle robotic jerks. Wreck -it Ralph manages to feel retro while still having a modern day twist.
The movie is full of subplots, which almost leaves the viewer unsure of what the movie is truly about until the end. Somehow throughout the movie, all the subplots seem to weave together and come full circle at the end. The movie moves kind of fast, but it’s not hard to follow. The humor is good serving up plenty moments of laughter. There are a few unanticipated moments in the film that will surprise many viewers; particularly the revealing of the true King Candy from the game Sugar Rush.
For Wreck-It Ralph the greatest moments are watching the good guys and the bad guys work together in order to conquer the bigger issue in the movie. It’s during their adventure they all seem to learn lessons about the joys of simply being themselves. Even Ralph learns that sometimes playing a bad guy doesn’t mean there’s not some good in you. After all, what would a good Disney movie be without a good moral ending?
Wreck it Ralph isn’t the typical hero’s tale one might expect. In fact the real adventure doesn’t even start until the arcade closes.