Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2

2012's Wreck-It Ralph was a clever family film that managed to mix old school video game nostalgia with vibrant comedy, a lot of heart, and some kinetic action.  If anything, Ralph Breaks the Internet is an even more clever film, and one of the few sequels to surpass the original in some ways.  It's also somewhat of a departure for the Disney Studio, as it goes against one of their most valued lessons that they have imparted on children over the years.  With so many Disney films emphasizing teamwork and coming together to solve your problems, here is a film that reminds kids that sometimes it's okay to be alone, and to let your friends do their own thing.

This is one of the few animated films I can think of that has taught the lesson of individualism, and that it's okay if your friends don't always agree with you, or don't want the same thing that you do.  It's just as valuable of a lesson for kids (and adults) as the message of "be happy with who you are" that seems to be behind nearly every animated film these days.  Not only is this lesson well-taught by the smart script credited to co-director Phil Johnston and Pamela Ribon, but it also manages to be just as thrilling and funny as the previous entry.  It even manages to subvert the myth of the Disney Princesses in a memorable scene that brings together all of the famous ladies of Disney for one big get-together, where they actually discuss the impact and the somewhat dated lessons of their stories.  This sequence in particular makes the movie worth watching.  It doesn't just plop the characters in for an extended cameo like you would expect, but actually explores the impact that these characters have on kids.

Six years have passed since the events of the original movie, and the video game villain Wreck-It Ralph (voice by John C. Reilly), who is actually a nice guy in real life, is still best friends with video game kart racer character, Venellope (Sarah Silverman).  They're both enjoying a tranquil existence at Litwak's Arcade, where they spend their days acting out their roles in their individual video games by day, and hanging out together as soon as the arcade closes down for the night.  They particularly enjoy getting together for root beers at the Tapper arcade machine, or racing each other in the futuristic cars featured in the Tron video game.  However, by this point, Venellope has begun to tire of the routine.  She's memorized all the tracks in her racing game, and there are just no surprises or new experiences.  Things get even worse for her when the steering wheel on her game cabinet breaks, and her game is unplugged, which means she basically now has nothing at all.

Fortunately for our heroes, around the same time this happens, the owner of the arcade has just recently plugged in a new WiFi router, giving the video game characters access to explore the wide world of the Internet.  Ralph and Venellope hear of a mythical on line place called eBay where just about anything can be bought and sold, and discover that there is actually a replacement steering wheel for Venellope's game being auctioned off.  Desperate for a new experience and an adventure, Venellope races off into the world of the Internet, with Ralph close behind.  Unlike the first film, which followed the characters traveling across various games and meeting up with different classic game characters, this time around the emphasis is on exploring the on line world, with plenty of references, gags and Easter Eggs for both kids and adults to pick up on.  Since this is a Disney film, we obviously see only a small "family friendly" portion of the Net, although Ralph does make a brief detour into the Dark Web at one point.  We also get sites like Amazon, eBay, Youtube and Pinterest name-dropped, or have their logos displayed, which may upset those who are sensitive to product placement in their films.

But unlike the idiotic The Emoji Movie from last year, Ralph Breaks the Internet is not just a soulless cash-grab marketing adventure.  Another smart touch that the filmmakers throw in is that the movie actually explores the nature of the Internet, and talks about the impact that it can have on people.  It teaches in an intelligent way that the Internet can be a tool for good, as well as what can happen when negativity gets out of control in comments from people who do not realize the impact their negative comments can have on others.  There are actually a lot of smart themes here that the writers have thrown in with the usual comedy and exciting action that the audiences have obviously come for, which makes the movie stand out a bit from your usual holiday family entertainment.  If there is anything to complain about, it's just that the film goes on a bit long at nearly two hours, but that's definitely a forgivable offense, especially when the film is as largely entertaining as this.

Yes, this is a fun movie that will entertain families, but I was more enthralled by the chances that the movie seemed willing to take, both in its messages, and in the handling of the Disney Princesses, which must have made some executives at the studio a bit nervous when the filmmakers were discussing their ideas for Disney's main cash cow.  Not only is the movie about individualism and following your own path in life, but the team behind the film managed to kind of strike off on their own in some ways.  I kind of wish this would happen more often.

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