Ralph Breaks the Internet
Animated sci-fi. Voices: John C Reilly and Sarah Silverman. Directors: Phil Johnston & Rich Moore. PG HLV.
This sequel to the delightful Wreck-It Ralph (2012) takes place six years later. Videogame characters Ralph (Reilly) and Vanellope (Silverman) are best friends and spend all their free time together, but Vanellope is growing bored with her daily routine. When Ralph tries to liven things up he inadvertently causes a player to break the steering wheel off Sugar Rush, the arcade racing game Vanellope calls home. The only way to fix it before the arcade owner (Ed O’Neill) sells Sugar Rush for spare parts is to buy a steering wheel off eBay. Luckily the arcade has just got Wi-Fi, enabling Ralph and Vanellope to travel through the internet to buy it.
The creativity brought to the videogame characters’ world in the first film is applied to the internet this time and though the imagination on display isn’t quite as inspired, most viewers should chuckle at the humorous way pop-up ads, search engines and the dark web are depicted. The plot takes a while to get going and for long stretches it seems as if it’s all filler, but these digressions are so much fun that you won’t mind.
An action-packed sequence set in a Grand Theft Auto-like game and Ralph’s attempts to become a viral-video sensa- tion are entertaining, but the highlight is Vanellope’s encounter with the Disney princesses. Through witty banter between the princesses and Vanellope, the House of Mouse bravely takes the opportunity to acknowledge the criticism about sexism and stereotypes levelled at its movies over the years. These scenes should delight fans who’ve longed to see the likes of Snow White, Ariel and Pocahontas interacting.
In the finale things take a somewhat dark, unexpected turn in terms of plot and visuals, which might frighten little ones, but the film’s unusual but meaningful message about friendship makes it a worthwhile watch. Ralph Breaks the Internet isn’t as endearing and amusing as its predecessor but it’s still a wellmade, entertaining sequel with depth.