When Disney dropped the trailer for Ralph Breaks The Internet - the sequel to their 2012 Wreck-It-Ralph hit - a few months back, one film sprung to mind - and it's not a film you want to be associated with. 2016's The Emoji Movie, widely considered one of the worst animated films of all time, lept to the forefront of my mind, with gaudily-bright animation, corporate cynicism and a self-congratulatory narcissism that left many, myself including, uneasy. They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but with one as corporately-packaged as this, you cannot help but feel uneasy by the product.
When the steering wheel controller to Vanellope von Schweetz's 'Sugar Rush' is broken, she travels with Ralph to "The Internet" to find the spare part to fix the game. There, they discover all the weird and wonderful things that wifi has to offer, and must rush against the clock to prevent the game from being unplugged and the characters being displaced altogether. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman return to voice our two main protagonists while Jane Lynch, Jake McBrayer, Gal Gadot and Taraji P. Henson also feature in the Rich Moore and Phil Johnston follow-up.
Thankfully, instead of the lows of The Emoji Movie, Ralph Breaks The Internet often touches the opposite heights of the animated spectrum: with some amazingly creative visual storytelling, it is more akin to Pixar's Inside Out, with Moore and Johnston so very cleverly envisioning "The Internet" as neatly as Pete Docter did with Riley's mind. Packed with a thrilling amount of intricate detail and clever functions all so colourfully animated on the screen, Ralph 2 crafts an excitingly vibrant world of possibilities for our characters to explore together, while providing them their own individual paths to follow too. Enhanced by a charming score from Henry Jackman that plays with the sounds of the internet superbly, Ralph thrives in the internet.
Ralph 2's imagery is undoubtedly stronger than its narrative effort, but that doesn't mean it refuses to tackle some hearty themes. From friendship and connection to insecurities and change, Ralph wears its heart on its sleeve and delivers some topical messages in an easily-accessible, digestible way. While said messages can be a little on-the-nose at times in their execution - clumsily handled as it reaches that final act in particular - Johnson and Pamela Ribon's screenplay is packed to the rafters with sharp gags, well-meaning content and consistent humour; it rather successfully circumvents the corporate cynicism it could have very uncomfortably been held hostage to, avoiding the risk of becoming a walking product-placement ad for those lucky enough to be favoured by a world-spanning conglomerate as influential as Disney. That doesn't mean those undertones are completely absent from the piece, but it rather effortlessly saunters by with its messages and animation coming before anything else.
Stellar work from the voice cast gives Ralph a bolt of energy. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman deliver characterful turns, with their relationships explored from new angles once more; the direction of their friendship and ultimate endgame was a pleasant surprise, deeper than expected in its conclusion by culvitating a clear journey while still ensuring that the characters themselves remain recognisable. Reilly and Silverman bounce off of each other marvellously and Ralph and Vanellope are engaging because of that strong dynamic. Assembling the Disney Princesses is a stroke of sheer genius and a clear highlight of Ralph 2; the returning voices enliven the crop of icons with their smartly-crafted sequences really benefiting from the authenticity of their presence.
At 112 minutes, the runtime is a little on the excessive time. That isn't especially helpful when it comes to streamlining the narrative, with patches that are in need of a real tightening; the conclusion, especially, is rather scattered and therefore fails to explore the weightier material with enough depth to really convince. But there is enough strong work up until that moment, so it isn't an entirely wasted opportunity - just undercooked.
For the most part, Ralph Breaks The Internet is successful in tackling a wide range of culturally-topical themes, including insecurities and friendship, but it is the visual storytelling is where it shines brightest. Striking, clean animation oozing with a great deal of ingenuity that both young and old will enjoy, meaning that this is a film that will appeal to all. As Christmas draws nearer, may I recommend a trip to the Internet?
Summary: Ralph Breaks The Internet is a strong continuation of the series that (for the most part) manages to avoid the corporate cynicism it ran the risk of driving, thanks largely to imaginative animation, some great jokes and an excellent voice cast.
Thankfully, instead of the lows of The Emoji Movie, Ralph Breaks The Internet often touches the opposite heights of the animated spectrum: with some amazingly creative visual storytelling, it is more akin to Pixar's Inside Out, with Moore and Johnston so very cleverly envisioning "The Internet" as neatly as Pete Docter did with Riley's mind. Packed with a thrilling amount of intricate detail and clever functions all so colourfully animated on the screen, Ralph 2 crafts an excitingly vibrant world of possibilities for our characters to explore together, while providing them their own individual paths to follow too. Enhanced by a charming score from Henry Jackman that plays with the sounds of the internet superbly, Ralph thrives in the internet.
Ralph 2's imagery is undoubtedly stronger than its narrative effort, but that doesn't mean it refuses to tackle some hearty themes. From friendship and connection to insecurities and change, Ralph wears its heart on its sleeve and delivers some topical messages in an easily-accessible, digestible way. While said messages can be a little on-the-nose at times in their execution - clumsily handled as it reaches that final act in particular - Johnson and Pamela Ribon's screenplay is packed to the rafters with sharp gags, well-meaning content and consistent humour; it rather successfully circumvents the corporate cynicism it could have very uncomfortably been held hostage to, avoiding the risk of becoming a walking product-placement ad for those lucky enough to be favoured by a world-spanning conglomerate as influential as Disney. That doesn't mean those undertones are completely absent from the piece, but it rather effortlessly saunters by with its messages and animation coming before anything else.
Stellar work from the voice cast gives Ralph a bolt of energy. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman deliver characterful turns, with their relationships explored from new angles once more; the direction of their friendship and ultimate endgame was a pleasant surprise, deeper than expected in its conclusion by culvitating a clear journey while still ensuring that the characters themselves remain recognisable. Reilly and Silverman bounce off of each other marvellously and Ralph and Vanellope are engaging because of that strong dynamic. Assembling the Disney Princesses is a stroke of sheer genius and a clear highlight of Ralph 2; the returning voices enliven the crop of icons with their smartly-crafted sequences really benefiting from the authenticity of their presence.
At 112 minutes, the runtime is a little on the excessive time. That isn't especially helpful when it comes to streamlining the narrative, with patches that are in need of a real tightening; the conclusion, especially, is rather scattered and therefore fails to explore the weightier material with enough depth to really convince. But there is enough strong work up until that moment, so it isn't an entirely wasted opportunity - just undercooked.
For the most part, Ralph Breaks The Internet is successful in tackling a wide range of culturally-topical themes, including insecurities and friendship, but it is the visual storytelling is where it shines brightest. Striking, clean animation oozing with a great deal of ingenuity that both young and old will enjoy, meaning that this is a film that will appeal to all. As Christmas draws nearer, may I recommend a trip to the Internet?
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
(7/10)
Summary: Ralph Breaks The Internet is a strong continuation of the series that (for the most part) manages to avoid the corporate cynicism it ran the risk of driving, thanks largely to imaginative animation, some great jokes and an excellent voice cast.