Fun thrills, but lacking depth
Ralph Breaks the Internet ( PG)
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Wreck- It Ralph was a pleasant surprise when it hit cinemas back in 2012.
Reminiscent of some of Pixar’s finest, it was also one of Disney’s best animated efforts of the past decade.
This follow- up is set six years after the original and sees a returning Ralph ( John C. Reilly) and Vanellope ( Sarah Silverman) embark on a new, online- based adventure when they discover a wi- fi router in their arcade.
First flick helmer Rich Moore shares directing duties on this occasion with Phil Johnston, who co- wrote Wreck- It Ralph, and the pair are among six credited story contributors.
Perhaps that explains why it feels like a multitude of ideas have been thrown at this sequel, resulting in a more bloated, uneven whole than the simple- but- effective original.
Moving from the world of arcade games to the whole internet may present a much larger canvas to explore, but it also robs the movie of the warm nostalgic glow that powered much of its predecessor.
There’s still much to like, though. If you thought Ready Player One was crammed with Easter eggs and pop culture references then, in the immortal words of rockers Bachman– Turner Overdrive, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
The filmmakers manage to include an impressive amount of familiar faces during Ralph and Vanellope’s journey, peaking with a sequence involving Disney princesses that lives up to the pre- release hype.
Our lead duo remain as endearing as ever and their relationship develops and progresses from the mostly tumultuous one found in the previous outing.
I won’t spoil the bigger surprise stars who lend their recognisable tones to proceedings, but the impressive ensemble includes Gal Gadot ( Shank), Jane Lynch ( Calhoun), Alan Tudyk ( KnowsMore), Alfred Molina ( Double Dan) and Ed O’Neill ( Mr Litwak).
It seems rather pointless to highlight the standard of animation as Disney rarely fail to deliver on that front, but the varying websites that Ralph and Vanellope visit are a joy to behold; bubblegum pop is the overriding colour scheme and there’s clever use of viral videos.
The climax was very surprising – in a good way; maturely handled, it’s a touching finale that resonates as the next – and possibly final – step in the Ralph and Vanellope story.
Unfortunately, it’s a rare example of depth and emotion as the rest of the film concentrates more on laughs and bombarding us with never- ending character additions – all playing out at breakneck speed.
The central story arc tackling our heroes’ uncertainty over escaping their environment and entering ‘ the big bad world’ also can’t help but feel like a recycling of the superior Toy Story series.
Ralph Breaks the Internet is undoubtedly inferior to its predecessor, then, but it’s still a vibrant, colourful caper full of slick surprises.