Disney's latest animated film Wreck-It Ralph isn't a wreck but it could use some help from Fix It Felix. In the brightly lit world of video games lives a character named Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C Reilly). Ralph's main problem is he doesn't want to be a villain anymore and he doesn't know how to break out of his mold. His efforts to obtain a hero's metal take him across "game central" and into some other video games. This makes for a confusing and stretched storyline. Also the lack of development in Ralph's character leaves the audience with a void as to what emotions they should be feeling. Wreck-It Ralph packs a punch. It just isn't as powerful as it should be.
In the film Ralph is part of the cast of "Fix It Felix." Felix (Jack McBrayer) is the hero of the storyline and the one that everyone idolizes. He and the other members of this video cast live in a nice hotel, but Ralph lives in a garbage dump. He is the town outcast. Felix also receives a medal at the end of every game and Ralph desperately wants a medal.
His friends at "Bad Anon" tell him that being bad is a good thing but he doesn't buy it. He devises a way to get a medal by joining a group of soldiers in a military arcade game. A fierce soldier named Calhoun (Jane Lynch) is the leader of this group. After working in this game Ralph next finds himself in the colorful world of "Sugar Rush." It is there that he meets Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) who has some wants of her own.
The animation in the movie is okay. It isn't ground breaking, but it is adequate. Still all animated movies today have adequate animation. To be special you need something extra such as a story that touches your heart. Wreck-It Ralph just doesn't have this. It has a story that is about as emotional as the ones in Cars 2 and Speed Racer.
The matching of the actors' voices with the characters is a big plus for "Ralph." Reilly and Silverman are perfect as is Lynch. There is also good support from McBrayer and Alan Tudyk who voices "King Candy." If the voices didn't mesh then Ralph would really be in trouble.
The movie is rated PG for comic violence.
Wreck-It Ralph will definitely appeal to the "gamers" in the audience; however its overall appeal will be limited. There just isn't enough heart in the characters or the story to make Wreck-It Ralph more than just a passing enjoyment.
I scored Wreck-It Ralph a fixated 6 out of 10.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com