Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018 Film) Review
"Ralph Breaks the Internet," the sequel to 2012's "Wreck-It Ralph," brings back John C. Reilly's Wreck-It Ralph and Sarah Silverman's Vanellope von Schweetz for another adventure. This time, there headed to the Internet to search for a replacement part for Vanellope's game, Sugar Rush. Along the way, the two encounter the edgy inhabitants of an online game called Slaughter Race as well as all the Disney Princesses.
Gal Gadot voices Shank, the leader of Slaughter Race. Taraji P. Henson is the voice behind Yesss, an algorithm that determines the top videos of BuzzzTube. Briefly returning from the first are Jack McBrayer's Fix-It Felix Jr. and Jane Lynch as Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun.
"Ralph Breaks the Internet" is directed by "Wreck-It Ralph" director and "Zootopia" co-director Rich Moore. For this sequel, he has a co-director by the name of Phil Johnston. Johnston wrote the screenplay with Pamela Ribon. This film is produced by Clark Spencer and was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Introduction
Many will tell you that 2012's "Wreck-It Ralph" was one of Disney's best animated films in recent years. Yes, even with films like "Frozen," Zootopia," and "Moana" following it. I wouldn't go that far, but I did like it. Despite a familiar set-up, it felt very original and unique. The world did have very ill-defined rules, but it was one that was begging to be explored in a sequel. While we are finally getting a sequel six years after the first, it seems that rather than stay in the arcade, we're going to the Internet.
At first, I thought a Wi-Fi router being plugged into Game Central Station was a brilliant concept, but as I saw the trailers and began to glimpse the route that the filmmakers were taking these characters, I felt letdown by the film. I was reminded of the missed opportunity to explore the video game world. The trailers didn't give much for me to grasp what the film was about. All I remembered from them were the in-house brand promotions that this film was pushing excessively. As a result, I started to feel that the sequel was less about continuing a story and more about Disney plugging their other brands. Hopefully, I'm wrong and that there's much more story than the trailers led me to anticipate.
Overall Thoughts
Good news! "Ralph Breaks the Internet" has a great story which leads to great character drama and wonderful performances from our two leads. It is not the original film retreaded for us all over again. It's fresh, funny, and full of that Disney heart. There is but one problem with it. Though the first-act and the ending do a perfect job in setting up and concluding the plot, the filmmakers include certain elements that bloat the middle which ended up taking valuable time from the main characters and their quest. From what I could gather, the filmmakers seemed to be more attentive to how memorable their Internet design is, that they lose track of the story and even though it pops up here and there, it plays second fiddle. In the second act, it's more about expanding this interpretation of the Internet. To be fair, it's nice that the film wants to do some worldbuilding and the animators do exhibit some marvelous talent, but the story seemed to suffer because of it. I think the story would have been better paced if it was more of a priority, rather than expanding this whole other world.
Even though the journey that the two protagonists go on is interrupted due to the film's dedication to worldbuilding, Ralph and Vanellope still manage to rule their upgraded environment.
Ralph is still the well-intentioned and innocent oaf that he was in the first film. However, in "Internet," he looses some of that innocence in favor of a more selfish personality. Though it makes him a morally-complex character and serves the main conflict well, it was difficult to watch certain scenes of Ralph being uncharacteristically needy on his friendship with Vanellope. I think it's because Ralph learned to be so selfless in the first that him being so indignant was a jarring transition, but it made sense when the whole picture came full circle. When it comes to John C. Reilly's voice work, I got a bit nostalgic seeing him return to this character. Given that the first film is where I remember being introduced to the actor, seeing him return to the role, after being in so many other films and franchises since, provided me with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. His character does make decision that make him slightly unlikeable, but Reilly successfully returns to his Ralph, a role he voiced six years ago.
Sarah Silverman's significantly more likable as Vanellope in the sequel. Thanks, in no small part, to the more compelling narrative that's given to her character. In some ways, Vanellope has more of a role in this film than Ralph because she has a part that extends beyond her relationship with him. I did understand why should would entertain the idea of going to a switching to a different game. The writing and Silverman's more sophisticated voice work made Vanellope a more involving character. It made hearing her high-pitched screams more bearable. Her still being a glitch didn't make much sense. I thought that her "winning" the race at the end of the first film made her programing normal once more, so I was a little confused when she was glitching again. Maybe there was something that I missed in the first. Overall, having seen where her character goes in this follow-up, my opinion on Vanellope has greatly improved.
The Internet
Even though this is a sequel, having the Internet as a setting allows this film to feel as original as its predecessor. Disney continues to step up its game in the animation field each time they release a new movie. Their version of the Internet is a colorful, vibrant utopia, filled with crystal-clear skyscrapers and populated by none other than us users. I feel obligated to commend the odd designs given to the Internet users. They're thin, they move in two-dimensions, they have bricks for heads, and they interact with the physical embodiments of websites and pop-up ads with voices that are a little on the static side. How Internet users get around the Internet is also clever. Once one clicks on their desired website, a vehicle will spawn out of nowhere and take them to that site. Many other functions of the Internet are explored with similar results, such as pop-ip ads, troubleshooting, and more.While that's all well and good, you're likely wondering how it handles the product placement.
Whenever the Internet plays a role in a movie, it normally doesn't work because its involvement is made more about the product placement included, rather than a means of telling the story at hand. This film handles it both ways. Before the main characters enter the Internet, they're introduced to it via clunky exposition given by other characters who put it on a high pedestal and that made me nervous for what was to come. Thankfully, it got better and despite many brands being plugged, it didn't feel forced or unnecessary. Did the filmmakers need to include a scene where Ralph and Felix unassumingly enunciate the name "Ebay?" No, but there's very few instances where the product placement feels unnecessary. Having said that, unfortunately, one of those examples are the Disney princesses.
In my review for "Smallfoot," I concluded that the film was good overall, but would've been better if it didn't include some elements that made the film feel bloated. "Ralph Breaks the Internet" makes a similar mistake. For little-to-no reason, the filmmakers include Disney's famous princesses into the mix and it feels more like Disney trying to market this film to an audience beyond people who loved the original and less like a decision that serves the story being told. Plus, if you've seen any of this film's promotional material, you've seen most of their inclusion, which isn't much on its own. Even if they felt forced, I'd still enjoy them if they did anything particularly fun or exciting, but they don't. Most of the princesses' screen time involves them mocking the clichés of their own films, but rather than sounding clever, it quickly becomes exasperating. To sum, including all of the Disney Princesses in "Ralph Breaks the Internet" felt like a short film stuffed in the middle of a feature film.
Before I reach the end, I just want to mention Gal Gadot and Taraji P. Henson's characters. Though I didn't find Slaughter Race to be that fascinating of a game, Gal Gadot was a great addition to the roster of characters. For Gadot, the role of Shank allows her to expand her filmography into the world of animated films as well as exercising a certain charm that only she has as an actress. The script gives her a few witty and emotional lines that make her a memorable part of the movie. The same thing goes for Taraji P. Henson as Yesss, but unlike Shank, Yesss has a more unique design. She's has such an outgoing personality. It's that personality that makes most of her lines hilarious as she's so extravagant. In all, I'm impressed by the range of the two actresses.
Before I reach the end, I just want to mention Gal Gadot and Taraji P. Henson's characters. Though I didn't find Slaughter Race to be that fascinating of a game, Gal Gadot was a great addition to the roster of characters. For Gadot, the role of Shank allows her to expand her filmography into the world of animated films as well as exercising a certain charm that only she has as an actress. The script gives her a few witty and emotional lines that make her a memorable part of the movie. The same thing goes for Taraji P. Henson as Yesss, but unlike Shank, Yesss has a more unique design. She's has such an outgoing personality. It's that personality that makes most of her lines hilarious as she's so extravagant. In all, I'm impressed by the range of the two actresses.
Score
One of the many qualities that "Ralph Breaks the Internet" inherits from the original film, other than great characters and a wonderful world, is Henry Jackman who provides the musical score once again.
The music that Jackman created for the original film felt right at home, with themes that matched the various video games that Ralph visited throughout it. Jackman's follow-up score contains the same themes that existed in the first and strangely enough, the music that returns feels retro. It may be old, but being included in a new film with new scenes to play the same music over gives it a greater emotional kick since it's material that we know and love. That can't be a coincidence since our characters originated from video games.
In terms of new material, the Internet is given its own theme, a blend of 80s synthesizer mixed with the grandness that comes from Jackman's chosen style. It's a great mix that fulfills its duty of creating the emotional highs that are necessary for certain key scenes. On a side note, though Henry Jackman didn't compose it, I also liked the Imagine Dragons song "Zero" that accompanied the end of the film. Almost all of this soundtrack fits the film like a glove.
The only part that doesn't is an original song created Alan Menken, a Disney legend. He writes an "I want" song for Vanellope called "A Place Called Slaughter Race." It's a decision that's made and one that has no sufficient impact on the story at all. You could've cut it out and you wouldn't have missed anything about what she was thinking. All adding the song does is spell the obvious out for you. I think it was intended to mock the past "I want" songs from other princesses, but since "Wreck-It Ralph" wasn't at all a princess movie, the inclusion of this song fits as much as the Disney princesses themselves.
In terms of new material, the Internet is given its own theme, a blend of 80s synthesizer mixed with the grandness that comes from Jackman's chosen style. It's a great mix that fulfills its duty of creating the emotional highs that are necessary for certain key scenes. On a side note, though Henry Jackman didn't compose it, I also liked the Imagine Dragons song "Zero" that accompanied the end of the film. Almost all of this soundtrack fits the film like a glove.
The only part that doesn't is an original song created Alan Menken, a Disney legend. He writes an "I want" song for Vanellope called "A Place Called Slaughter Race." It's a decision that's made and one that has no sufficient impact on the story at all. You could've cut it out and you wouldn't have missed anything about what she was thinking. All adding the song does is spell the obvious out for you. I think it was intended to mock the past "I want" songs from other princesses, but since "Wreck-It Ralph" wasn't at all a princess movie, the inclusion of this song fits as much as the Disney princesses themselves.
Grade: B
Improving old favorites, oozing creativity, and donning a heartfelt story, "Ralph Breaks the Internet" proves too strong to be wrecked by its clunky second-act.
I would recommend seeing "Ralph Breaks the Internet" in theaters. I think it's a great selection to see during the Holidays, especially for families or if you liked the original. If you didn't, I'd still give this sequel a chance. Now, if you didn't see the first film, give that one a rent before watching this sequel If you are to check this out in theaters, regular old 2D will suffice for your viewing experience.
Conclusion
With that, another review now ends. If you've seen "Ralph Breaks the Internet," what are your thoughts on the film and my review? If you have not yet seen this film, do you plan to or will you wait to rent it later on? As always, share your thoughts in the comments below and feel free to recommend a film that you'd like me to review next. Thanks for reading, I'm Dallin, your resident Film Fanatic, and I'll be back soon with another editorial.
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