ironhorse_iv Review of Ralph Breaks the Internet

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

This sequel to 2012's 'Wreck it Ralph' broke my heart. It was not good.

[7/10 · 27 January 2019]

While this 57th animation motion picture from Walt Disney Animation Studios was not as socially annoying like Sony Picture Animation's 2017's similar premise flick, 'the Emoji Movie' was. There was still many flaws. Let's start with the poorly written story. From all the three different scripts, the filmmakers, Rich Moore, Phil Johnston & their crew can pick from. They chose the wrong one. Much of this movie's plot is very similar to the first flick, in which, a main character is sick of their game, only to leave, cause chaotic damage to their surroundings, find themselves, & then step up to undo their mistakes. The only different is that, instead of going into other video game realms; it's now, on the over commercialism & toxic internet. It sucks. Don't get me wrong, if the whole focus of the film was about Wreck it Ralph (Voiced by John C. Reilly) & Vanellope von Schweetz (Voiced by Sarah Silverman) having to leave the nostalgia of arcade games to the current landscape of online gaming, in order to make enough money to buy parts for Sugar Rush. Maybe, I wouldn't be so hard on the film, but however, the movie doesn't do that. It abandoned the video game aspect that made the first movie, so endearing & instead, focus on stupid viral video meme culture & the blatant and shameless filler product placement of the Disney brand. All the inclusion of Star Wars, Disney Princesses and Marvel Characters don't really add much to the main plot. Nor does all these connections really related to the gaming world. It's no 'Kingdom Hearts', that's for sure. To add on that, I found the parts of the film involves Ralph making viral internet videos, highly annoying and not that accurate. Getting likes & views on any video sharing platform is not as profitable as it once was. There was reasons for that, such as copyright laws & companies not wanting to put their ads on anything that can hurt their image. Even if Ralph get enough hearts, most likely, the profit for those videos would go to the developer of the game rather than the titular character, himself. Also, if it did happen, how does that even work; is it a "paper man in a paper house" situation? To us, both the video game characters and people are CGI; however, in universe, are people seeing Ralph's viral videos as a computer character or a person dressed as Ralph? It's really jarring & confusing. Continuing on that, the money made from ad revenue is not easy to access within a common days. Normally, it goes to your direct deposit or written in check within a few weeks. It's never made out to anybody who doesn't have a bank account at all. However, the shameless prostituting to leech off of dumb internet meme culture is far from the worst thing, Ralph does in this film. Toward the end, he does something really awful, that seems out of character that is not redeemable at all. His endangerment with Vanellope really took me, out of the movie. I wouldn't root for this guy, anymore! Not only that, but in-story, Ralph probably doom himself, as well; now since, his image is known as a very dangerous computer virus. I doubt anybody will play his game, any longer. Despite that, even if, he didn't do anything cringe-worthy. I found his final decision, to allow Vanellope to continue on with her dangerous and destructive path. Not a great message at all. Look, I get that we should allow love ones, room for themselves; but honestly, would you allow them to join a dangerous gang, because that is what they wants!? I doubt that. Nevertheless, that's not the only problem, I have with this subplot. It's the fact that Vanellope abandoned the quest to save her game, midway through the film. This action from her, is very disturbing. I get that, she doesn't really like, anybody from Sugar Rush, as they were former tormentors, but she has to take responsibility for her actions. After all, she was the one that overrides the player control, resulting in her cabinet's steering wheel being broken. Not only that, but she is the ruler of that place. She can't abandoned her kingdom on the doorstep of staying unplug. Having her quit and go hang out at another game, because it's new & fun, is just not a good message for a children. Even if Ralph get enough money for the part. Her absent might still doom the game. Unlike her lame excuse, I believe the gamers would probably notice her missing. After all, she's the one with the really cool super teleportation move. Not only that, her face is all over the game's cabinet. Nevertheless, I also hate seeing that none of the characters care to abide to any of the in-universal rules. Everybody seem cool about anybody going 'Turbo', nowadays, even if it could end, with all their games being shut down. It kinda contradict the moral message of the first movie. I wish the sequel would focus more, on something else. A better message. Nevertheless, the movie does have redeeming qualities. The animation is nice to look at. It has decent voice acting; including the returning cast & the new inductees. Even the cameos were well done. However, I hate that some supporting cast were demoted to extra. As for the humor. The Meta Disney Jokes were funny. The expense on the internet not as much. Look, I know that this PG movie can't go to the crazy and insane jokes that the internet has, but many of film's meme jokes will lose their relevance & will feel dated in the next couple of years. Despite that, overall: While, this flick is not a total wreck. This sequel just did not live up to the expectation that I felt a good movie like this, deserved. It kinda bytes. It could had been better.