The Unexpected Review: Wreck-It Ralph Is Phenomenal

This weekend I ventured out to brave a theater full of children to see Wreck-It Ralph, Walt Disney Animation Studio's 52nd animated film. Ever since 1995's Toy Story, Pixar has been at the forefront of modern animated films, making Disney's traditional animation studio as antiquated as 1980's Pac-Man against 2012's Halo 4.

Influenced by video game characters, settings, and plots, Wreck-It Ralph focuses on the titular character who desires to change his ways as a bad guy in order to find happiness. While the moral of the story is traditional - "be yourself" - its the presentation of the non-traditional plot that brings the film to the forefront of Disney's modern era.

Wreck-It Ralph features cameos of dozens of video game characters. Long-time gamers - especially those rooted in the 1980s and 1990s - will undoubtedly smile at all the references big and small. The familiar faces are nice, but the core cast of characters throughout the film are original and completely believable as video game characters. Personifying these with human emotions - fear, greed, humor, and of course love - works on so many levels thanks to the excellent plot.

And the plot takes center stage. The entirely-predictable story excels thanks to a roller coaster ride of colorful settings, subtle humor, catchy music, and one of the best-paced films Disney has ever made. Although running nearly two-hours, Wreck-It Ralph never feels too long and no one scene ever drags on into boredom or becomes predictable. Unlike video game-to-film adaptations that tend to feel overly pretentious (I am looking at you, Resident Evil), Wreck-It Ralph builds on the influence of video games and finds parody and emulation as sources of inspiration. The pixelated world of fictional video game "Fix-It Felix Jr." contrasts against the dark, moody, high-definition lines of first-person shooter "Hero's Duty." Most of the film takes place in the insanely-colorful "Sugar Rush," which squarely captures the influence of modern kart-racers.

Even with a couple of interesting wrinkles with films like Bolt and Tangled, Disney has been struggling to find itself in the CGI era. Wreck-It Ralph feels original and fresh in a way that Disney films have not since 1989's The Little Mermaid. While I doubt we are in store for another Disney Renaissance, Wreck-It Ralph would certainly be a fantastic start.

B3 out.