By Nadia Ranaputri
Directors: Rich Moore and Phil Johnston
Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Ed O'Neill.
"I don't think we're at Litwak's anymore," Wreck-It Ralph points out as he steps into the great unknown. "We certainly are not," Vanellope says. This great unknown they've just landed upon just so happens to be the internet. As in, the crazy vast land of websites. That's exactly what Ralph Breaks the Internet has brought to the table. As the sequel to Disney's 2012 animated film about an unlikely bond between an 8-bit bad guy and a cheery little racer, Ralph Breaks the Internet follows the fish-out-of-water premise in which characters explore the great unknown, a completely different world known as the internet. The internet is a fascinatingly crazy ride, but hey, this time you get to see what it's really like to step into the internet rather than just clicking webs on a computer.
Six years after the events of Wreck-It Ralph, the once video game outcasts Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz live a seemingly perfect life in the Litwak Family Arcade. They do the same routine every day: go to work seperately in each of their arcade games and do their duties as video game characters by day, hang out in several other video games such as Tron and have a root beer drink off together by night. But when Vanellope longs for variation in her game Sugar Rush, specifically new tracks, Ralph tries to help her. Unfortunately, it doesn't go very well, as this frustrates a fellow gamer that leads a damaged steering wheel, causing Litwak to unplug Sugar Rush, leaving Vanellope and her fellow racers without a game. Luckily for them, Litwak just so happens to have a new installment to the arcade: Wi-Fi (one character calls it Die-Fi as a joke to how dangerous it could be) or in other words, the internet. Hoping to save Sugar Rush from fully perishing, Ralph and Vanellope venture to the internet in search of a new steering wheel. However, their venture to the internet isn't the end of their problems.
One of my earlier concerns whether or not a story about delving into the internet was a good idea. We had that with The Emoji Movie, and as unique of an idea as it is to have a film about Emojis (well, no one's ever done it, right?) it lacks in telling a good, decent even; story that justifies why it needed to exist. Well, you can rest easy, because Ralph Breaks the internet has a better story on hand. If you're going to sum up Ralph Breaks the Internet, it's a much more meaningful and joyful journey of the internet than The Emoji Movie. Yes, it has shameless product placement like Twitter, Amazon, Fandango, and eBay; but after all, it's the internet, right? It's a never-ending universe where a click could get you anywhere you please, and the film clearly wants to represent just how vast the crazy world of the internet is, but it is not ashamed to reflect on the reality of it, nor does it lose a sense of adventure. The way it's presented here is a bright and colorful world with satirical representations of things you always see on the internet, like figures using clickbait pop-ups that transport those who click to their "site", or virtual figures literally sending hearts to a leaf blower to a video.
What's interesting here is that it illustrates the internet as an actual world that you can walk around in. When you click a website, it leads you to that designated website, but in Disney's illustration of the internet, a click leads people to be transported into a hovering shuttle that heads you to a website (represented as floating buildings in a city that never sleeps) you desire. It really does give you the idea that while the internet is full of wonders, it's also got its ridiculous aspects, like becoming an internet star by continuously making videos based on whatever happens to be trending or wicked online games with obstacles beyond anything Ralph has ever seen. And then there's the most advertised bit of the film, the Oh My Disney sequence that involves Disney properties from the Star Wars Stormtroopers and cameos from fellow Marvel characters (a certain talking twig is among them) become highlights of the film. The standout of the sequence is no doubt the princesses, among them Cinderella, Anna, Elsa, Pocahontas, and of course, Merida with her Scottish rambling that other princesses could barely understand. It is an obvious showcase of Disney properties, but that doesn't mean it makes the film less enjoyable. It's certainly a fun little dive on a virtual version of Disneyland without compromising the story it wants to tell.
But this film has bigger plans at hand than just the wonders of the internet. It wants to show us a darker side too, though it won't go too deep into that. It's merely a representation of it, as it is with the other wondrous bits of the internet. It does an excellent job in telling both the positive and the negative side, enough for it to create a sense of joy and sympathy. "First rule of the internet: do not read the comments," Ralph is informed when he finds that the internet has harsh things to say about him. Ralph Breaks the Internet is also poignant in developing the friendship between Ralph and Vanellope. In fact, the film revolves around their friendship as they discover the many wonders of the internet. There's issues of being overprotective of one person to the point where instead of actually protecting them, it only holds them back. It shows a heartfelt display of how any friendship will have to go through changes, that one person cannot share the same dream with the other. That's essentially what happens to our friendly neighborhood wrecker and his quirky race pal. Ralph becomes insecure when Vanellope realizes that there's more to life than just daily routines at the arcade; she's found something much more exciting than that. It's the film's core message that is delivered strongly, despite it being quite direct, especially since this is an animated Disney film after all.
Ralph Breaks the Internet does what every film does: provide a sense of both escapism from reality and a reflection of it. It is essentially what a film is supposed to do, and Ralph Breaks the Internet just proves that it is more than just exploring a new world, but also dealing with the possibility of change and as Ralph realizes, how a world such as the internet could bring the worst in people. As surface level is it is when it comes to the thing we know as the internet, it at least has a good story on hand that makes it more than just a fun dive into the internet. It may oversimplify or barely scratch the surface of what the internet really is, (again, this is a Disney film, do you really expect them to dive into the gritty bits of the internet?) but it is enough to give glimpses at just how vastly crazy it really is. In the end, for a story about an exploration of the internet, it has its moral messages. Children can learn that the strongest friendship comes from the ones that strive throughought the changes, no matter how painful it may be. The older can find a poignant message that they could even relate to because they might have already experienced the same thing. I certainly did, and that was one of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed this film, I resonated with it.
Overall verdict: Ralph Breaks the Internet is certainly a joyful sequel to 2012's Wreck-It Ralph, putting two of the most unlikely friends into the bright and vast world of the internet. Disney's depiction of this cyber world is as expected, full of wonder. But while it's a whole new world, Ralph and Vanellope's friendship is put to the test once they come face to face with the internet, and it might even resonate with the audience, even if it is conveyed directly. The world of the internet is cettainly an interesting concept, but it isn't ashamed to jab at the internet itself. Whether it is becoming a star by making ridiculous videos, meeting Disney princesses and many of their other characters, or stepping inside an unpredictable online game, Ralph Breaks the Internet knows how to poke some lighthearted fun that puts a smile on your face, and it has plenty of heart to give around (metaphorically and literally). It might not hit as deep as Disney Pixar's Coco, but it sure gives enough to tug at our heartstrings while offering much of Disney's familiar joy and wonder.
Stars: 4.3/5
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
Directors: Rich Moore and Phil Johnston
Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Ed O'Neill.
"I don't think we're at Litwak's anymore," Wreck-It Ralph points out as he steps into the great unknown. "We certainly are not," Vanellope says. This great unknown they've just landed upon just so happens to be the internet. As in, the crazy vast land of websites. That's exactly what Ralph Breaks the Internet has brought to the table. As the sequel to Disney's 2012 animated film about an unlikely bond between an 8-bit bad guy and a cheery little racer, Ralph Breaks the Internet follows the fish-out-of-water premise in which characters explore the great unknown, a completely different world known as the internet. The internet is a fascinatingly crazy ride, but hey, this time you get to see what it's really like to step into the internet rather than just clicking webs on a computer.
Six years after the events of Wreck-It Ralph, the once video game outcasts Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz live a seemingly perfect life in the Litwak Family Arcade. They do the same routine every day: go to work seperately in each of their arcade games and do their duties as video game characters by day, hang out in several other video games such as Tron and have a root beer drink off together by night. But when Vanellope longs for variation in her game Sugar Rush, specifically new tracks, Ralph tries to help her. Unfortunately, it doesn't go very well, as this frustrates a fellow gamer that leads a damaged steering wheel, causing Litwak to unplug Sugar Rush, leaving Vanellope and her fellow racers without a game. Luckily for them, Litwak just so happens to have a new installment to the arcade: Wi-Fi (one character calls it Die-Fi as a joke to how dangerous it could be) or in other words, the internet. Hoping to save Sugar Rush from fully perishing, Ralph and Vanellope venture to the internet in search of a new steering wheel. However, their venture to the internet isn't the end of their problems.
One of my earlier concerns whether or not a story about delving into the internet was a good idea. We had that with The Emoji Movie, and as unique of an idea as it is to have a film about Emojis (well, no one's ever done it, right?) it lacks in telling a good, decent even; story that justifies why it needed to exist. Well, you can rest easy, because Ralph Breaks the internet has a better story on hand. If you're going to sum up Ralph Breaks the Internet, it's a much more meaningful and joyful journey of the internet than The Emoji Movie. Yes, it has shameless product placement like Twitter, Amazon, Fandango, and eBay; but after all, it's the internet, right? It's a never-ending universe where a click could get you anywhere you please, and the film clearly wants to represent just how vast the crazy world of the internet is, but it is not ashamed to reflect on the reality of it, nor does it lose a sense of adventure. The way it's presented here is a bright and colorful world with satirical representations of things you always see on the internet, like figures using clickbait pop-ups that transport those who click to their "site", or virtual figures literally sending hearts to a leaf blower to a video.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
What's interesting here is that it illustrates the internet as an actual world that you can walk around in. When you click a website, it leads you to that designated website, but in Disney's illustration of the internet, a click leads people to be transported into a hovering shuttle that heads you to a website (represented as floating buildings in a city that never sleeps) you desire. It really does give you the idea that while the internet is full of wonders, it's also got its ridiculous aspects, like becoming an internet star by continuously making videos based on whatever happens to be trending or wicked online games with obstacles beyond anything Ralph has ever seen. And then there's the most advertised bit of the film, the Oh My Disney sequence that involves Disney properties from the Star Wars Stormtroopers and cameos from fellow Marvel characters (a certain talking twig is among them) become highlights of the film. The standout of the sequence is no doubt the princesses, among them Cinderella, Anna, Elsa, Pocahontas, and of course, Merida with her Scottish rambling that other princesses could barely understand. It is an obvious showcase of Disney properties, but that doesn't mean it makes the film less enjoyable. It's certainly a fun little dive on a virtual version of Disneyland without compromising the story it wants to tell.
But this film has bigger plans at hand than just the wonders of the internet. It wants to show us a darker side too, though it won't go too deep into that. It's merely a representation of it, as it is with the other wondrous bits of the internet. It does an excellent job in telling both the positive and the negative side, enough for it to create a sense of joy and sympathy. "First rule of the internet: do not read the comments," Ralph is informed when he finds that the internet has harsh things to say about him. Ralph Breaks the Internet is also poignant in developing the friendship between Ralph and Vanellope. In fact, the film revolves around their friendship as they discover the many wonders of the internet. There's issues of being overprotective of one person to the point where instead of actually protecting them, it only holds them back. It shows a heartfelt display of how any friendship will have to go through changes, that one person cannot share the same dream with the other. That's essentially what happens to our friendly neighborhood wrecker and his quirky race pal. Ralph becomes insecure when Vanellope realizes that there's more to life than just daily routines at the arcade; she's found something much more exciting than that. It's the film's core message that is delivered strongly, despite it being quite direct, especially since this is an animated Disney film after all.
Ralph Breaks the Internet does what every film does: provide a sense of both escapism from reality and a reflection of it. It is essentially what a film is supposed to do, and Ralph Breaks the Internet just proves that it is more than just exploring a new world, but also dealing with the possibility of change and as Ralph realizes, how a world such as the internet could bring the worst in people. As surface level is it is when it comes to the thing we know as the internet, it at least has a good story on hand that makes it more than just a fun dive into the internet. It may oversimplify or barely scratch the surface of what the internet really is, (again, this is a Disney film, do you really expect them to dive into the gritty bits of the internet?) but it is enough to give glimpses at just how vastly crazy it really is. In the end, for a story about an exploration of the internet, it has its moral messages. Children can learn that the strongest friendship comes from the ones that strive throughought the changes, no matter how painful it may be. The older can find a poignant message that they could even relate to because they might have already experienced the same thing. I certainly did, and that was one of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed this film, I resonated with it.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
Overall verdict: Ralph Breaks the Internet is certainly a joyful sequel to 2012's Wreck-It Ralph, putting two of the most unlikely friends into the bright and vast world of the internet. Disney's depiction of this cyber world is as expected, full of wonder. But while it's a whole new world, Ralph and Vanellope's friendship is put to the test once they come face to face with the internet, and it might even resonate with the audience, even if it is conveyed directly. The world of the internet is cettainly an interesting concept, but it isn't ashamed to jab at the internet itself. Whether it is becoming a star by making ridiculous videos, meeting Disney princesses and many of their other characters, or stepping inside an unpredictable online game, Ralph Breaks the Internet knows how to poke some lighthearted fun that puts a smile on your face, and it has plenty of heart to give around (metaphorically and literally). It might not hit as deep as Disney Pixar's Coco, but it sure gives enough to tug at our heartstrings while offering much of Disney's familiar joy and wonder.
Stars: 4.3/5
