Movie: Wreck-it Ralph
Director: Rich Moore
Cast/Voices: John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman
Rating: ***1/2
Being bad isn’t bad after all, is It? Well, according to this film, being bad is un-cool and very depressing. But, what if someone told you that being bad will fetch you perks, and then will you try to be bad? Disney’s “Wreck-it Ralph”, with its intelligent screenplay and adorable characters, is definitely one of the best films of 2012.
The story revolves around a videogame character called Ralph from the game “Fix-it Felix”, who having lived through 30 years of the game, feels he’s never been duly appreciated for his efforts. Ralph plays a baddie in the game, and feels nobody loves a bad guy, but everybody loves a hero. He soon learns that in his world of arcade games, the one thing that differentiates a good and bad guy is a gold medal. Ralph can’t obviously win a medal in his own game; therefore he sneaks into another game hoping to win a medal. But, Ralph’s entry comes with a price – he should make it back to his game before it’s ‘the end’ for the arcade, and that forms the rest of the story?
With its creative storytelling, “Wreck-it Ralph” grabs your attention throughout and eventually graduates as a visual delight for both adults and kids alike. The characters are designed in such a way that you can undeniably fall in love with them from the first minute. Some of the best videogame characters such as Pacman, Sonic play cameo in the film. The film’s novelty is explored at every juncture and especially when we’re taken through the interiors of each game, which is unknown to us, but the designers with impeccable animation and stunning visual effects, make it unbelievably real.
The film is not about long forgotten videogames, but it’s about the emotional connect it succeeds in creating with the audience. The animation is wonderful and 3D was brilliant, giving a rich and depth feel to the overall output without appearing gimmicky. The relationship between the characters is heartwarming; especially between Ralph and Vanellope, who indulge in a kind of relationship that’s neither friendly nor romantic, but aptly suitable to be called a very special relationship.
There are some things in life that may seem impossible. But, in the world of animation, nothing is impossible, and Disney seems to have internalized this sutra, and thus have managed to give us a film as memorable as this.
Now, besides all its visually extravagant set up and intelligent screenplay, “Wreck-it Ralph” has something to give in return to the audience for the money and time spent. The film packs a wonderful message – one may have a bad or boring job, but when done believing that it’s his/her duty, then the job has its own perks that we can enjoy. In essence; Ralph, all the way assumed that he was a bad guy, and, therefore even considered his job bad. But, eventually Ralph realizes that his job is his duty that also has some perks.
