2012 turned out to be a pretty solid year for animated features. My personal favorite was Frankenweenie, Tim Burton’s brilliant return to form. Pixar also had another solid entry with the warm-hearted Brave. But there was yet another animated feature that was wildly popular and that received critical acclaim and even an Oscar nomination. That movie is Wreck-it Ralph and it’s built around a brilliant idea that really grabbed my attention. Yet as with so many animated pictures, Wreck-it Ralph sets the table nicely but almost squanders it’s originality and cleverness with its frantic and occasionally numbing midsection. But that aside, it’s a movie with a lot of heart and a good message. You could do a lot worse.
What initially interested me in Wreck-it Ralph was the concept. As a guy who grew up on video games dating back to the earliest ones, I loved the idea of a story set in a video game world. Connected through power cables and surge detectors, all the arcade machines make up a cool and vibrant world behind their screens. Wreck-it Ralph’s pixelated landscape is filled with classic video game characters that old school gamers will enjoy recognizing. You’ll find Q-Bert, Bowser from Super Mario fame, characters from Street Fighter, Pac-Man, and many more. For me these were the best moments in the movie, when the film unveiled and introduced this fantastic world filled with nostalgic cameos and funny in-jokes.
The main character of the movie is Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly). He’s the “bad guy” in the older but still popular Fix-it Felix, Jr. game which sits inside Litwak’s Arcade. Ralph has grown tired of the lack of appreciation and ostracism from his fellow workers in his game. Seeking to prove he can be a hero too, Ralph sets off to acquire a medal (something only reserved for heroes). But as he explores other games in the arcade’s community in search of the elusive medal, he inadvertently triggers a series of events that could lead to disaster especially for the world of a tasty kart-racing game called Sugar Rush.
Inside the Sugar Rush world Ralph meets a cute but obnoxious little girl named Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman). She’s been ostracized by the people within her video game home mainly because she is so “glitchy” (something my fellow gamers will certainly get a kick out of). This common bond between Ralph and Vanellope develops into the film’s central relationship and it’s what keeps the movie from sinking into a mire of loud and repetitive slapstick.
Sugar Rush looks incredible and the blast of bright colors jump off the screen especially in high definition blu-ray. But it’s here where Wreck-it Ralph veers away from the cool video game angle it’s built on and instead makes candies and sweets the focus. Instead of Sonic the Hedgehog and Dig Dug we get taffy, lollipops, cough drops, oreo cookies, and diet cola. It won’t be a big deal for many but I was a little bummed at the shift away from what had drawn me to the picture. It was also here where the movie gets a little goofy and becomes an obvious reminder that it’s a kid’s film. The story begins to move as if it were on a hyperactive sugar rush and I kept wanting things to just calm down. But aside from that, the saving grace was the tender relationship between Ralph and Vanellope and despite its predictability I still found it pleasing. The relationship is built around some legitimate real-world feelings and I applaud the movie for tackling them in a respectful but also relatable way.
So while I liked Wreck-it Ralph and I would recommend it, it’ll still go down as a movie that didn’t see a good thing all the way through. Now I realize I’m not the film’s target audience and the two young kids I watched it with absolutely loved it. That’s says something and for that it deserves credit. It also has several funny moments, some spectacular animation, and a good message that revolves around a heartwarming relationship. I just wish it didn’t have that seemingly mandatory overly rambunctious middle section that is a staple of so many animated films today. With a little more of the movie’s early focus and a little less caffeine, this could been an even better picture.
For a look at another animated film of 2012, check out my review of the fantastic Frankenweenie.
keithandthemovies.com 
THREE STARS?!! !!!! THREEEEEE STTAAAARRSSSSSS!!!!?
BAGH! At least 4 lol. But I do understand your problems, as much as I disagree with them lol. I can’t wait for more and I can’t wait for a sequel!
LOL, it just shifted focus so drastically. And that loud, 190 mph slapstick in the middle just grinded me down. Before that I was absolutely loving it.
I thought that compared to most recent animation films, this was the best. John C. Reilly has a great voice.
Reilly was really good. His voice was the perfect fit for that character!
Fine review here bro. I’ve seen it a couple of times but have no intention of writing a review at present. Not that it’s a bad film. I just don’t know way to say that hasn’t already been said. Id give it 3.5/5
Thanks man. I thought it was good. It started and finished strong. It’s that rambunctious middle section that ended up pushing me back a bit.
Watched this my 2 year old on the weekend. We had a lot of fun with it. I think it should have won the Oscar over Brave.
For me it had a similiar problem as Brave. It turns out a slapstick and silly middle that really started to lose me. Otherwise I really liked it. I’d take Frankenweenie over either personally.
Good review Keith. It’s a sweet little flick that doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel, but at least gives us a pleasant time, especially if you’re a movie geek in a sense.
Thanks man. Well said. I do have to say it kinda pleased the gaming geek in me!
I hear ya Keith! I like this a bit more than you but 3 stars is still very good. You’re right that the mid parts is more about sweets and candies, I even said that you could get sugar high just from watching them, ahah. I don’t mind it though, the visuals are amazing and everything is just so darn cute! I guess I’m not too invested in the video game angle, I just care for a good story and it ended up being better than I thought. I still love Brave more though 😀
The visuals are wonderful from start to finish. I’m with ya, I think I like Brave more than this as well.
I wasn’t expecting a 3-star score, but I understand where you are coming from. and I did like Frankenweenie myself a bit more. This was a kid film, but for me it appealed to the “kid in me” and made me enjoy it even more! 🙂
I see what you’re saying and parts of it did the same for me. But then that ‘old fart’ in me came out. LOL!
Wow! A 3?! I gave this the full 5! Although I agree that I’d have like to have seen more time in Game Central and catching up with M. Bison, Kano and Bowser. Maybe we’ll get that in the sequel? And I really preferred this to Brave. The more I look back on that, the less it appeals to me. You’re right though – Frankenweenie rocked it last year. Beautiful film.
Thanks for checking out my take on it Phagester! For me this movie and Brave had a similar problem, the suddenly frantic slapstick middle. But, I do have to consider that this movie does have a target audience. It really works for that audience and for people who connect with it. I’m just an old fuddy-duddy! LOL
Have not seen Frankenweenie yet, but I think this was my favorite animated movie last year. It was a very enjoyable, funny movie. Wouldn’t mind spending a week in that candyland 🙂
Oh you need to see Frankenweenie! It’s an absolute blast. So many tips of the hat to old classic horror movies.
Kevin, share your thoughts on this one very closely. Like you, enjoyed it but just felt there was something missing. Something I’m still struggling to put my finger on.
It is a good movie but it really could have been better. For me it couldn’t stay on course. When it started veering off into more conventional animated slapstick I found myself drifting away from it.