Ralph Breaks The Internet

When it comes to a sequel, go bigger or go home. Rich Moore and Phil Johnston’s imaginative and deeply satisfying follow-up to the 2013 feelgood computer animation Wreck-It Ralph achieves the former without straying far from the latter by propelling its coin-operated arcade game characters into the mind-boggling realms of the worldwide web.

Ralph Breaks The Internet expands its bewildering array of visual targets to include social media behemoths, video sharing portals and online shopping brands plus those irritating advertising pop-ups which multiply like a virulent fungus.

The naivety of candy-coloured characters in their new home is mined for a steady stream of laughs.

“We know where to go if we need a pair of goggles,” chirps Ralph (voiced by John C Reilly) as he misreads the name of one search engine and an inaugural visit to an auction website leads to Ralph and best friend Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) merrily bidding against one another.

A savvy, warm-hearted script credited to co-director Johnston and Pamela Ribon is punctuated by cautionary notes about viruses, the dark web and trolls.

“First rule of the internet: Don’t read the comments!” observes one guardian of the digital realm. Filmmakers responsible for Ralph Breaks The Internet can ignore these sage words: comments for their briskly-paced adventure should be overwhelmingly positive.

Vanellope von Schweetz hurriedly abandons her Sugar Rush game when a young girl accidentally shears steering wheel during a race.

A replacement part is too costly for arcade owner Mr Litwak (Ed O’Neill) and he turns off the machine.

“I haven’t seen this many homeless characters since Space Invaders went down!” laments security guard Surge Protector (Phil Johnston).

While the denizens of Sugar Rush are rehoused in other games, Ralph and Vanellope find a steering wheel on an auction website and have 24 hours to raise just over $27,000 to honour their outlandish bid.

Ralph raises funds as a star on the Buzzztube channel run by algorithm Yesss (Taraji P Henson), and Vanellope puts the pedal to the metal in a Grand Theft Auto-esque game called Slaughter Race.

Ralph Breaks The Internet warms our hearts then breaks them in tiny pieces with a sob-inducing finale. A protracted interlude in the Oh My Disney! fan site, populated by a bevy of animated princesses and characters from the Marvel and Star Wars stables, is a selfreferential hoot. off the

The jokes come thick and fast in Ralph Breaks The Internet.