The Story Of A Regular Guy Just Looking For A Little 'Wreck-ognition'

Rating: Null/10 (8 April 2016)

The year of 2012 was a wicked one for both Disney & Pixar as the two animation studios attempted to emulate the other one's forte in their very own features. Pixar's Brave marked its first foray into fairy tales, a subgenre that Disney pretty much owns, while Disney's Wreck-It Ralph employed Pixar's own formula of observing life from a different perspective, this time exploring the world of video game characters.
The story of Wreck-It Ralph follows its eponymous character, an arcade game villain who is tired of playing the bad guy over the years & dreams of becoming a hero. Things are set in motion when he sneaks into a different game to win a medal of heroism but inadvertently unleashes a serious threat that could affect the entire arcade and ultimately crash-lands into another game where he meets a young "glitch" who makes him realise what it is to be a hero.
Directed by Rich Moore, Wreck-It Ralph begins really well and brims with a big splash of nostalgia for grown-ups & an inviting enough world for rug rats. Many notable characters from classic video games make their brief appearances plus it also incorporates their unique characteristics into the narrative. However, the second half of the story fails to live up to its brilliant first half and suffers from an overdose of sweetness that nearly ruins the whole picture.
There are still a whole lot of positives for the arcade games it puts on screen are refreshing to look at, the script is sharply witted although there are some moments when it feels a bit too forced, the animation is top-notch for the images vary from 8-bit arcade games quality to modern console HD graphics yet there isn't any friction between the two distinct visuals for its integration is seamless. And the character of Ralph is quite relatable, features a surprising depth & a well-defined arc.
Where the movie loses a few points is in the storyline set in the candy-coated cart racing game as that sugary sweet world & the characters it inhabits become annoying real soon. The vibrant, vivid colour palette, the kiddish humour & juvenile figures is more appealing to the younger audience. It does help in further developing Ralph's character arc but the sweetness is a tad too much to bear at times. The voice actors do a good job in their given roles, with John C. Reilly being the standout choice.
On an overall scale, Wreck-It Ralph has something in store for viewers of all ages, is a wonderfully animated tale that's full of colours, joy & nostalgia, effectively delivers on the entertainment scale, and sensibly covers the themes of responsibility, identity & isolation. Smartly balancing the retro & new school vibe and featuring a tale that's approachable, accessible & amusing, Wreck-It Ralph is a definite surprise from Disney and would've left an even bigger impression if it hadn't gotten a bit carried away. Nevertheless, absolutely worth a shot.