WARNING: Spoilers for “Ralph Breaks the Internet” follow
At the end of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2012 feature “Wreck-It Ralph”, the reformed-bad-guy himself states “if [Vanellope] likes me, then how bad of a guy could I be?”
While Ralph himself may have learned a thing or two about how labels do not define who we are, he certainly didn’t pay any mind about the toxicity of displacing validation onto other people. In 2018, the film’s sequel “Ralph Breaks the Internet” seeks to correct this alleged character flaw and does so with a heartbreaking yet hilarious ode to internet culture.
The original film acted as a parallel to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” but with classic video games, set inside Litwak’s Family Fun Center and Arcade. Gaming icons new and old intermingle as they hop from game-to-game via “Game Central Station”, aka a power strip connecting all of the arcade game’s plugs. Director Rich Moore cleverly took advantage of this setup, allowing characters to initially travel to Tapper, the old-school bartending game turned into an actual tavern, or a Pac-Man ghost holding a “bad-anon” support group in the center of his home game. Yet, Wreck-It Ralph (John C Reilly), the Donkey Kong-esque villain of Fix It Felix Jr. (Jack MacBrayer), abandons his neck of the woods in favor of Hero’s Duty, sick of being seen as a ne’er-do-well when he’s actually a nice guy deep down.
Eventually, Ralph sticks to the wrecking nature of his name and barrels into Sugar Rush, a Mario Kart knockoff. There, he teams up with rejected glitch Vanellope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) to win a race and restore her place in the arcade. The film was sweet and clever, with an ingeniously smart script that made Jennifer Lee, now the head of Walt Disney Animation Studios, a studio superstar overnight. The characters, especially in regards to the friendship of Ralph and Vanellope, oozed with personality and relatability as it deftly tackled issues such as self-esteem and betraying labels.
Six years later, Ralph and Vanellope are adorable, inseparable best friends. After “work” each day, they hang out while game jumping, joking around and having deep talks. However, one of their deep talks rattles Ralph: the very idea that Vanellope may be bored of her game and wants something more out of life. While Ralph tries to come to her aide by constructing a new track in Sugar Rush, he inadvertently causes a real-life arcade patron to break the game’s steering wheel. Litwak considers selling the game for parts, and Vanellope is shattered.
Little by little, Ralph’s insecurities come through as he is shocked to discover that he isn’t all Vanellope desires out of life, while she in turn is what makes Ralph feel whole. It’s a stunningly complicated and nearly creepy complexion for a character in a Disney film, if only helped by the fact that there are zero romantic entanglements. This, however, is what returning director Rich Moore (along with Phil Johnston) aims to target as he sends Ralph and all of his neuroses to the place that arguably heightens them worst of all: the Internet. The duo discover that a Sugar Rush steering wheel is available online, and they travel to eBay to purchase it. Of course, as video game characters they don’t have nearly enough funds to pay for it (after a hilarious sequence where the clueless yokels drive up the price), and start poking around the web for ways to produce the cash before a 24-hour deadline.
The first solution is via slimy popup ad Spamley (voiced by an uncredited, but energetic Bill Hader) who leads Ralph and Vanellope to Slaughter Race, the film’s answer to an online version of Grand Theft Auto. There, they meet Shank (Gal Godot), a tough-as-nails racer who has a soft spot when the players leave. Vanellope is infatuated with Slaughter Race’s unpredictability and tough edge, not to mention a budding friendship with Shank. Unfortunately, Ralph’s fear of abandonment kicks in full gear as he does everything possible to keep Vanellope with him at Litwak’s arcade. This includes essentially whoring himself out at BuzzzTube via a slew of viral videos that make him an overnight meme in exchange for money. Assisted by algorithm Yessss (Taraji P. Henson), Ralph discovers there’s a lot to be mined with nostalgia as office workers around the globe are bemused with a video game character from the 80s suddenly doing wacky things that usually involve him getting hurt… or imitating Bob Ross.
Speaking of nostalgia, at this point the film shifts towards its most controversial sequence, despite it being the largest selling point. In a shockingly self-indulgent move, Vanellope is sent off to OhMyDisney.com (that’s the real Disney version of BuzzFeed) to help advertise Ralph’s videos. There are some clever jokes such as a litany of motels outside the site’s Sleeping Beauty Castle-modeled gates, and some swipes at character-pairing surveys… but the whole affair feels dangerously like an advertisement for itself. At one point, Vanellope stumbles upon a Groot Q&A and for a half-minute, Ralph Breaks the Internet turns into a sketch comedy bit on Marvel characters. Again, it’s funny but can feel woefully out-of-place. Luckily, there’s an immediate course correction when the Sugar Rush princess finds herself in a room filled with all of the Disney princesses.
Like the Groot bit, there’s certainly a line that the film plays with this seeming like an extended sketch but the writers wisely choose to allow this to direct Vanellope’s journey. The princesses, after cutting loose in slumber wear, tell the confused Vanellope to look within herself (via song) and search for her dreams. This leads to arguably the film’s funniest sequence wherein she finds her inner “I Want” song and is led back to Slaughter Race via a fiercely manic, irreverent and hysterical Alan Menken-penned showstopper featuring singing great white sharks, rabid dogs and creepy clowns.
Meanwhile, Ralph’s insecurities worsen as he accidentally reads some scathing BuzzzTube comments mocking his appearance and trashing him. It is a heartbreaking scene that addresses cyberbullying (Yesss comments that the internet can bring the best and the worst out of people), yet in hindsight it may not touch as hard seeing as the commentators most likely think they’re talking about a fictional character who doesn’t actually have feelings. This of course, pales in comparison to those who do that to actual, breathing human beings in reality. Still, it’s a necessary evolution for Ralph who, even after securing the funds to purchase the steering wheel, finds out Vanellope wishes to leave him behind for the splendors of Slaughter Race and the internet.
What follows is Ralph spiraling and self-destructing in a way that only he can: by nearly destroying… no wait, wrecking… no wait… no I won’t say it! Sigh, okay, by nearly BREAKING the Internet. (I hope you’re happy)
While I won’t divulge too many details of the film’s raw, unsettling and tense third act, it is refreshing for a Disney movie of this era not to feature a twist villain as they are wont to do nowadays. There is an externalized threat, but it’s solved via an internal battle with the main character facing his own toxic personality.
Many reviewers are hyperfocused on the film’s internet humor or metacommentary and seem to shrug the story and arcs aside. While nothing lines up or is as structurally astute as the first film, there is real heft to the plot presented in that this line of thinking almost baffles me. In the end, the lesson of letting go is a popular one, yes, but usually as it relates to parents to an offspring. This one being a friendship, and particularly having it be one-sided is a bit unexplored in these family friendly waters.
The character of Wreck-It Ralph has always been one of low self-worth. For years he was treated like a criminal when he aspired to so much more, and when a friend looked up to him like a hero, he displaced that self-worth onto her. For the writers to immediately recognize that was insanely unhealthy is an absolute credit to how they use the sequel to further growth. Vanellope and Ralph both are not the same people they were at the beginning of the film, which is the most that one can ask for in regards to a continuation.
There is an issue in that Ralph finding his own value is left a little murky (Wreck-It Ralph 3?), but he learns his lesson in that Vanellope should be free to pursue her dreams… and that does not mean the end of their friendship. (ready the tissues on a particular scene towards the end) It’s a satisfying and relatable parable for anybody who’s ever navigated a shifting friendship, and treated with pure grace.
For those worried about the lack of video games in the follow-up, the first ten minutes still play fast and loose in the arcade as we follow Ralph and Vanellope through a night of game jumping. (let’s just say that the OhMyDisney sequence isn’t the only synergy tie-in) Many of the same gaming icons like Sonic the Hedgehog and Zangief still show up, although Bowser and many Nintendo characters are MIA, most likely due to a budding relationship with competitor Universal. Fix-It Felix and his love interest Sgt Calhoun (Jane Lynch) appear in the first act seemingly to set up an ongoing subplot, but it’s completely abandoned in favor for an explanation on how Ralph is able to abandon his game for well over a day. To the movie’s benefit, they make up for the absence with a killer “screw-the-audience” gag during the closing montage.
Another point of contention is on the film’s reliance over humor on “internet culture” and memes, and even though I understand the reason for dismay, it’s a bit unfounded. The internet is something that shifts and changes rapidly by the second, but many of the tropes that “Ralph Breaks the Internet” hit on are by far the most strong standing. The nature of internet memes spreading virally by focusing on a subject and cultivating it into new forms does not feel like a process that will die anytime soon, neither does the power of nostalgia. It’s a bit risky to feature visual gags involving Twitter birds and Pinterest pins, but these are fleeting moments. Moore and his writers strive to take basic, everlasting concepts and apply a timeless layer of silly humor over it. There are little direct, flimsy references in this film, instead supplying their own takes on meme humor and what it could be. (in this universe, apparently the net is obsessed with just horrible bee puns, instead of a horrible Bee Movie filled with bee puns)
Coming to the rescue just as equally are John C Reilly and Sarah Silverman delivering powerhouse vocal performances that make you laugh as much as they make you cry. While Silverman waddles between adorable and mischievous, with a touch of longing, Reilly one-ups on his creation of a lovable dope that fumbles each interaction he has yet always coming out on top via pure affability. There’s no doubt that “Ralph Breaks the Internet” will last along with being a succinct comment on the culture of the moment just through their two characters remaining at the heart of this picture.
On many fronts, Wreck-It Ralph has earned himself another medal by ironically breaking everything, including our funny bones, our hearts, and yes, the internet.
“Ralph Breaks the Internet” is currently in theaters now, rated PG.
