Wreck-It Ralph (2012) - You're a Bad Guy...But That Does Not Mean You're a Bad Guy!

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2012)

"Wreck-It Ralph" is the newest addition in a series of classic films brought to life from the one and only Disney Animation Studios. It's the film that will steal the hearts of millions and millions of video game fan-boys, but also some film lovers, as well. "Wreck-It Ralph" tells a newly original story about a video game character named Wreck-It Ralph, voiced by John C. Reilly, who's the bad guy in an arcade game named "Fix-It-Felix Jr.", a game that has been around for 50 years. Ralph is the bad guy that wrecks the building, while Fix-It-Felix, voiced by Jack McBrayer, is there to fix the building with his trusty hammer. But, when the lights go off at the arcade, the video game characters come to life, when nobody is looking. Yeah, it's very similar to the premise of "Toy Story", but this is a different movie with it's own way of telling the story. Anyways, while Fix-It-Felix is the character of the game given the most recognition, it's Ralph that is given tons of loathe, since his reputation is just being the bad guy who just wrecks the building. But Ralph doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore, and he wants a chance to actually become the good guy for once, and actually get the recognition he has always wanted. So, Ralph decides to go "turbo", jumping from one game to the next, trying to win a medal for a game that will turn him into a good guy. I should stop discussing about the plot at this exact moment, because it's completely better to walk into this film with a clear state of mind, and I bet you, you'll walk out incredibly surprised. "Wreck-It Ralph" is one of the best and one of the most entertaining films of the whole year. It's that rare family film that never loses it's heat. Reminding me a lot of another great film, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World", this movie does a great job of delivering a lot of great pop-culture video game references, while not going too far by throwing them at your face. If you're a die-hard video game lover, there's going to be a lot of familiar video game characters that they'll easily be able to spot throughout the entire 92-minute run time. I also loved how this movie "pokes fun" at the video game world, where video game characters can travel from one game to the next, and how some characters can come to life after the arcade closes. It's one of those rare concepts that will definitely keep audiences entertained for the majority of it all. Now, that we got all of that "fanboy" talk out of the way, let's focus on the rest of the movie! The animation is made perfectly, and it's so great to look at, it actually felt like a Pixar-film at times. John C. Reilly and Jack McBrayer both deliver some of the most memorable voice performances of the year, especially John C. Reilly, who delivers such a realistic performance that feels more like a human being, than just a video game character. But there are plenty of members in the voice cast that have their ability to shine. From Sarah Silverman's role as a little girl that Ralph meets in a game called "Sugar Rush" (a cross-over between Mario Kart and Candy Land), Jane Lynch as the bad-ass leader of a group of soldiers in a game called "Hero's Duty" (think of "Call of Duty"), to Alan Tudyk as King Kandy from the Sugar Rush game, who seems to be a duplication of the Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland" (the original one, not the one with Johnny Depp). As the film continues to entertain all audiences alike, it's until the third act when the movie starts to do something unexpectedly. It reaches to an emotional level, leading to a heartwarming final act. From the first shot to the closing credits, this is a feel-good and entertaining motion picture that knows it's audience, and keeps the entertainment factor cranked all the way up to 11, even with the usual and traditional storyline of believing in yourself, and always stay true to who you are, even if others view you differently. From a cool soundtrack, clever use of video game references, beautiful animation, incredible voice acting, and a great heart, "Wreck-It Ralph" is the best animated film of the entire year. "Wreck-It Ralph", in my review, "satisfyingly entertaining, a truly enjoyable delight".