A sincere tribute to video games and genuinely heartwarming animation

Rating: 8/10 (24 December 2015)

If you have picked up a controller at any point of your life and liked it, chances are Wreck-It Ralph will entertain your gamer within. Full of pop, retro and gaming references, it's a fun and clever commentary that will be enjoyed by old and young audience alike. Firstly, the poster and trailer show Bison, Zangief and such, but they are only brief cameos, so don't expect Sonic to headline the movie. It's essentially the quest of titular Wreck-It Ralph, a designated villain of 80' arcade game, to obtain much longed acceptance.
The theme is universal, and it will resonate for gamer or non-gamer. In what seems like a video game version of Toy Story, the movie tells a secret consciousness the game characters have inside the virtual realm. After the arcade closes, they will return to their lives, the game is their job, so to speak. There are support group for the villains, bars, and homes, making these digital avatars more humane. Its main characters are different representatives of popular game heroes and villains. Fix-It Felix is similar to Mario, Wreck-It Ralph has Donkey Kong feel, and Sergeant Tamora looks similar to Fem Shepard. I imagine the cost of hiring actual famous characters would be detrimental to their budget.
Story is pretty fast, giving plenty of personalities to the main characters and still manages to snuggle dozens of references. The different gestures, tidbits, and even sound effects are amusing, the alert noise from Metal Gear is gold. Each character has their own style of speech and body language that not only fitting for their stereotype, but also for the voice actors. Fix-It Felix is voiced by Jack McBrayer, the goody two-shoes from 30 Rock, I can literally picture the actual person doing the silly stuffs the on-screen character does.
John C. Riley, the comedian, plays Wreck-It Ralph well and adds his own slightly crude demeanor. Jane Lynch, angry coach from Glee, is my favorite as Sergeant Tamora from the game, Hero's Duty, a comedy mix between two first person shooter giants. Video game isn't just cosmetic appeal in this movie, it has sincere role, and the fact it has many 80' and 90' references gives it a wide range of demographic. The creator shows plenty of respect and knowledge of the source, it's integrated seamlessly and without disrupting the pace of the story. Bountiful and meaningful fanservice made just right.
The movie is simply entertaining and funny with spot-on family value, it's also a homage to video games done right.