Review Summary: A surprisingly worthy sequel worth buffering for.
The first Wreck-it Ralph was a very fun movie. It had lots of clever references, a few scene-stealing characters, an appealingly creative visual style and a fairly solid story. It was enough to get into my Top 10 list for 2012. However, today, I'd argue its among the lesser efforts in recent memory for the Mouse House. It doesn't carry the gripping, emotional story arcs of Frozen or Big Hero 6, nor does it have any deep, mature themes like that of Zootopia. So, ultimately, I wasn't necessarily clamoring a sequel.
However, I am surprised to say this...Ralph Breaks the Internet is a rare sequel that improves on its predecessor. If the original was a solid movie, this one elevates the characters and franchise to near-classic Disney levels. Ultimately, what was missing from the original film is successfully brought into the picture here. In the meantime, it's an insanely-creative and consistently entertaining entry as well.
First of all, the story here is surprisingly deep and emotional in places. The film focuses clearly on the relationship between Ralph and Vanellope, and how unexpected changes test their friendship. It leads to some stunningly mature moments and conversations that succeed in speaking to both kids and adults alike. The ending action scene, in particular, is way more intriguing and engaging than I ever thought it could be. And perhaps even more admirably, the film doesn't let the many areas of the internet (and the temptation to over-exploit Disney's many areas of their entertainment conglomerate) distract too much from the film's story.
Speaking of the internet, it is meticulously-crafted in clever and entertaining fashion. From Amazon to eBay, to Twitter and Google, its' all depicted in some truly creative ways. There's also some neat visual touches also. The "Dark Web" and viruses, as well as pop-ups and how videos get likes (or in this case, hearts) are neat touches here too. The character designs are appropriately bright and fit the atmosphere.
Disney clearly was tempted to really showcase their ever-expanding media empire in this movie. And in one five-minute scene, we see Vanellope interact with many characters and franchises that the Mouse House owns (anywhere from Stormtroopers to Stan Lee and Eeyore). But, the highly-hyped scene between her and just about every Disney princess is just as fun, hysterical and memorable as you would want it (they also appear again later). Each princess gets at least one great line, with Ariel (who sings briefly twice as well!) and Snow White getting the best jokes. With the exception of Snow, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (for the reason that their movies are at least 60 years old), every princess is voiced again by their originating voice actor.
The overall voice cast is great. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman return as Ralph and Vanellope, and are wonderfully cartoony. But they are also more grounded and relatable this time around too, with a few exceptional moments. Vanellope, in the meantime, gets a surprising "I want" song. While its' kinda meant to be a satire of sorts for Disney songs in general, its' also fun on its own. I later found out that Disney legend Alan Menken was involved in the song's creation, and there's also a pop version in the end credits.
Meanwhile, Gal Gadot (a.k.a. Wonder Woman) joins the game as online racer Shank. She proves to be a very solid choice as she gives the character a solid sense of toughness as well as a heart of gold. She takes on the role of mentor and friend for Vanellope, and she also surprisingly sings well too (during Vanellope's song). Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures) is also a terrific addition to the cast, with enthusiasm, fun and heart as talent manager Yess. Both characters are given just enough time to shine. Meanwhile, Bill Hader, Alan Tudyk and Alfred Molina are well-cast as solid side characters. Henry Jackman gives the film a solid score. The arcade and a few classic video game characters (such as Sonic) make a few fun appearances. Some terrific in-jokes that gently mock the movie as well as the many franchises it references.
Now, not everything works. The film does spend perhaps a little too much time on Ralph's many videos he makes. The online game "Slaughter Race" and how its' designed does seem a bit too over-the-top for Disney and could have been toned down a little bit. And, fan favorite characters Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer) and Sargent Calhoun (Jane Lynch) are on the bench just about the entire time. They appear at the beginning for about five minutes and then completely disappear until the very end. I was very disappointed not to see more of them here. Meanwhile, the post-credits scene is a bit of a cop-out, and doesn't really impress.
Ralph Breaks the Internet is Disney Animation's first sequel in 18 years (and yes, Cinderella III, Little Mermaid II and other direct-to-DVD titles don't count as they were made by a separate animation arm). And truthfully, sequels haven't been the classic animation studio's definition of canon per se. They've been more about crafting original stories or bringing to life classic fairy tales.
Admittedly, based on the trailer, I was a nervous wreck that the Mouse House had finally reached the breaking point. By that, I mean focusing on just boasting about all they have (and they do, for only a few minutes though). But, in the meantime, the directors and writers here truly came up with a brilliant idea. One that takes the characters and fun from the original and brings it to the next level. And, it tells a surprisingly heartfelt and touching story that works true wonders on a level that is very close to some of the best Disney movies.
In the end, this is a sequel that I never knew we even needed. Besides that, while it doesn't quite reach my favorite movies of all-time list, it's definitely one I'm looking forward to watching again.
My Score: 8.7/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Ralph Breaks the Internet is rated PG for "some action and rude humor". I can definitely say this is appropriate for ages 7 or 8 and up. A few scenes are a little intense. The "Slaughter Race" game features some intense car chases, explosions, and a few other outlandish moments (a couple avatars are killed off-screen). The "Dark Web" section includes a couple of sinister characters that may frighten very little ones. A giant character at the end also seems a tad frightening for the preschool set. One character wears a midriff-baring outfit, while one arcade character wears just a speedo.
Beyond that, hate comments on videos are discussed in a family-friendly way. Vanellope spies the word "lingerie" at eBay and mispronounces it. Characters lie a few times. One use of "good l--d!" along with some mild name-calling and euphemisms ("goshdang it!"). A social hangout called "Tapper's" is shown to resemble bar scenes in movies (though they only drink root beer honestly). One character nearly destroys another's game. A couple of bathroom jokes and a brief moment involving burping.
