Wreck-It Ralph

Browsing through Disney's rich history of animated features, it goes without saying they've done everything! Just when we thought nothing new can be added into its prestigious library, came Wreck-It Ralph - one of the best films the studio giant has ever projected on silver screens for all ages cinema lovers!

Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) is an arcade retro game character who's given the role of a villain. For 30 years, he has been treated just like a baddie in real life too. But in truth, his nature and personality are the complete opposite to what he plays in the game that employed him - Fix-It Felix. Being a soft-hearted person who's labelled a bad guy for his entire life, Ralph has had enough of wrecking buildings and living in a dumpster. What happens if he decides one day to go out of his way and obtain the hero status forms the crux!

What Disney does best is they install human elements into non-human subjects and voila! It's extremely cool to watch a movie about arcade retro game characters having a life of their own after work hours. There's a world inside where these digital entities live. They travel between power cords and the hub of socket plugs is their exchange platform! Sonic the Hedgehog, Bowser, Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Zangief, the mushroom from Mario or the exclamation mark from Metal Gear Solid series, you get to see them all! Pixelated game objects given a 3-dimensional makeover that still retained its roots and the high level of detail were simply astounding! Ralph walking into the Pac-Man game to grab a cherry and Fix-It Felix game characters' jittery movement alike in the game were examples of awesomeness!

What's even more fun is to witness characters from one game hopping into another, or should we say: "Going Turbo!". Sugar Rush is where you'll experience a creativity spike! The makers have created an ultimately inventive world using sugary matters alone, leaving no stones unturned in the process! Oreo soldiers, Diet Cola mountain, Nesquik sand, lollipop grasses, Laffy Taffy vines, gummy bears stepping stones, cherry bomb and candy cannons were few of the many remarkable instances of visual analogies! It may be too saccharine for some's taste, but it was what it was. Speaking of fun, the puns and jokes were incredible! Ralph licking Sour Bill (voiced by Rich Moore) to threaten it and instructing him to 'stick around' after pasting the henchman on a lollipop tree were rollicking moments!

Writing wise, Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee have nailed it! Exposition laced out in the background as conflict, mystery or warning, starting narration that made sense since the protagonist was in a sharing session, 'Out of Order' status as deadline and character functions which remained the same no matter which game they're in to show everyone has weakness and strength proved the duos' tremendous brainstorming prior to pressing pen on paper. But, the one sure thing that'll tell you a screenwriter has done a fantastic job is the way the characters have come to life in a motion picture!

Ralph was a powerful character. You could truly empathize and sympathize with him! You feel his yearning to be appreciated. You could see right through his golden heart. The small part where he asks for a cake as he has never tasted one before was beyond pitiful! Automatically, we began rooting for him. Along his path, he meets Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman) - a character who's experiencing a similar problem as him. At first, she's annoying. But as soon as the writing peeled off the outer layer to reveal why she was the way she was, we immediately started loving her too! She's a victim. She bullies because she's bullied. As the both identify with each other, we the audiences received one hell of an emotional journey! Look out for the scene where Ralph's forced to break Vanellope's first proper car that'll rip your heart apart!

Henry Jackman's score was flames! While at first one may deem the backstories for Sergeant Tamora (voiced by Jane Lynch) and Turbo (voiced by Alan Tudyk) were unnecessary, it did hit hard on our faces when we realize the point behind those flashbacks, asking us to be patient and trust the screenwriters. But certainly, boss level monster amalgamation of Cy-Bug and Turbo, Rihanna's 'Shut Up and Drive' for the car-driving training montage plus self-referential cart-making mini game were unneeded and could have been done differently.

With the supreme technicalities, characters and story, a genuine theme and sub-themes at the core centre of Wreck-It Ralph tied the bow and made it a beautiful end product! Break stereotypes! Labels don't label you. And good or bad, it all lies under the actions you take.