Saturday, 9 February 2019

Ralph Breaks the Internet


2018’s Ralph Wrecks the Internet, directed by Phil Johnston and Rich Moore.

Starring John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jan Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Ed O’Neill, and Sean Giambrone.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Film.

What is it about?

Former video game villain Ralph (John C. Reilly) and his best friend Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) have an issue when the arcade game Vanellope’s world is based on is damaged. Needing to raise funds to pay for replacement parts, she and Ralph journey into the internet. Exploring new worlds and modes of commerce, their friendship is tested as Ralph’s occasional overbearing ways threaten to wreck everything. Will things return to normal with the 2 of them able to return to their respective worlds?


Why is it worth seeing?

2012’s Wreck It Ralph featured the irrepressible voice talents of John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman joyously bouncing through a brightly coloured made up world of video game environments. When not crashing through walls at a break neck pace, lessons were learnt and family fun was had. The sequel brings back the same energetic characters and has similar vibes, but its environment and ambitions fall cynically flat.


It’s difficult to make major motion pictures these days, as they cost a lot of money- unless you’re Disney. Despite being the owner of tens of billions of dollars worth of franchise content disguised as cash printing machines, apparently there was some difficulty keeping the lights on. It’s probably the best way to explain why the foreground is so choked with references to corporations as destinations.
Not satisfied with appealing to their fellow billionaire cohorts, at one point our titular hero goes to a place that is difficult to not call Disneyworld. No, it’s not Disneyworld literally- that’s in Orlando, Florida. It’s more like Disney Universe, where every single character from every Disney owned universe (but also other ones) make an appearance. It’s very distracting. Not since Ready Player One has nostalgia not felt like it used to- and original content been so desperately needed.


After adjusting my Che Guevara beret, it’s difficult to remember the movie at this point- awash in a sea of corporate “suggestion”, one returns to our hero’s journey. Lessons are again learnt, and there is an inspired sequence of the humble home base of a click bait’s character. But the energy is dampened from the original, and it’s not as fun to watch Ralph wreck things. If you're looking for a culprit, maybe it was Disney that broke the internet…

Rating:

2.5/5



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