Months became weeks, the weeks became days and the days became hours. Finally Wreck-It Ralph gets a UK cinema release! About time too, seeing as it came out back in November across the pond. With a nod to Pixar the film is proceeded by a short flick, a love film based on a guy throwing paper planes. It sounds rubbish, but the result is really sweet, and four minutes of a much better love story than the entire Twilight series combined.
Just so you know, Wreck-It Ralph isn’t the main character in his videogame, he destroys a building and waits for the star ‘Fix it Felix’ (voiced by the ever loveable Jack Mcbrayer from 30 Rock) to come along and fix it all with his magic hammer. Essentially it’s like Donkey Kong and Mario who incidentally, of all of the video game cameos in the movie, don’t make an appearance in the movie. Ralph, played by the brilliant John C Reilly is fed up of being the bad guy and decides to game hop, or ‘go turbo’ as the other characters put it.
Subtle, and not so subtle game references are sprinkled brilliantly throughout the film, amoung them Sonic, Ryu, Bowser, Zangief and the retro classic Q-Bert (who is now homeless) make appearances. Some Hardcore gamers might be disappointed their favourite character has been overlooked, (for me Snake or Cloud), but they’ve used characters that can be recognised across all spectrums.
Along the way Ralph meets Calhoun, a female soldier with a terrible back story because ‘It’s in her code’. As soon as she opens her mouth you’ll know you’re listening to the fantastically superb Jane Lynch (Role Models, Glee) her one liners will have you in stitches, and at some points have you thinking ‘This is a kids film?’ but she adds a needed dynamic to the occasionally linear plot.
If you went around the world twice you probably wouldn’t find too many people who dislike Sarah Silverman as much as I do. I just don’t find her funny. But, In ‘WIR’ her character Vanellope is excellent, the added humour is aimed at adults and children alike and at points you genuinely feel sorry for her as a character. Vanellope is a glitch, and that means that… nah you’ll have to go and see it.
Yes Wreck-It Ralph could have been more, and I would have loved seeing Ralph following Sonic through Green Hill Zone, or seeing him hold his own in Mario but the fact is that’s not what this film is. It’s a kids
film, skilfully aimed at adults too and that’s what makes Wreck-It Ralph almost stand up there with the classics. It’s not in the same league as Toy Story and the like, but you’ll laugh, and possibly even cry.
By the time it’s over Wreck-It Ralph will still be a bad guy, but he’ll also be your hero.