As gamers, we all know that most movies based on video games tend to be pretty bad. And most movies about the subject of video games tend to be found in the bargain bin soon after (Grandma’s Boy). Wreck-It Ralph does a lot right and I can’t really find anything it does wrong. Funded by Disney… Directed by Rich Moore (The Simpsons, Futurama, The Critic) and produced by Clark Spencer (Lilo & Stitch, Tangled). A lot of smart decisions were made in the staffing department.
Wreck-It Ralph tells the story of an arcade game bad guy who’s tired of the inglorious life of a villain. His game? Fix-It Felix Jr. It’s a fictional game made for the movie, but it works. It’s reminiscent of Donkey Kong and Rampage. Ralph goes on an adventure to try and earn his own medal, just like Felix Jr does in his game every time he fixes all the damage that Ralph does. Other characters in the film warn Ralph that doing so could be dangerous, but Ralph takes the risk and ends up unintentionally jeopardizing other games and characters throughout his adventure. Fortunately, in true Disney fashion, Ralph learns what it means to be the hero.
We are treated to a strong voice performance by comedian John C. Reilly as he emotes Ralph during his life changing story. Sarah Silverman also gives a good performance as the bratty yet inspired Vanellope von Schweetz whom Ralph encounters later in the movie. The entire voice cast is solid and fun. There are also various video game cameo’s and references ranging from Street Fighter characters to Q*bert (who is homeless and out of work). Laughs and chuckles are around every corner for gamers and even the casual viewer should find a continuous stream of enjoyment thanks to the solid story writing.
Here is a list of video game cameos in Wreck-It Ralph:
- Bowser, a Mushroom, Princess Daisy, and Princess Rosalina from Super Mario
- Doctor Eggman and Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog
- Q*bert, Coily, Slick, Sam, and Ugg from Q*bert
- Chun-Li, Cammy, and Blanka from Street Fighter
- Neff from Altered Beast
- Paperboy from Paperboy
- Knight and Ostrich from Joust
- Frogger from Frogger
- Dig Dug, a Pooka, and a Fygar from Dig Dug
- Pac-Man, Inky, Blinky, and Pinky from Pac-Man
- Paddle 1 and Paddle 2 from Pong
- Peter Pepper from BurgerTime
- The Qix from Qix.
- AiAi from Super Monkey Ball
- A racer from RoadBlasters
- An alien from Space Invaders
Visually, Wreck-It Ralph stands tall among its 3D animated peers including Toy Story and Up. The arcade worlds are fun and interesting. The title credits are an awesome work of art that every old school gamer will thoroughly enjoy. We highly recommend this family friendly movie to gamers of all ages. Wreck-It Ralph will leave you saying “I’m gonna wreck it!” for a while.