REVIEW: ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ is Much More than a Great Trailer

It’s been six years since the release of the Walt Disney Animation Studios mega-hit Wreck-It Ralph.  Wreck-It-Ralph was a movie that I had no real intention of seeing but became one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. From the cameos of video game characters, John C. Reilly’s comedic timing, the messages that the movie dealt with, and the fact that a movie like this hadn’t been done before, Wreck-It Ralph took the world by storm. A sequel seemed quite evident, especially with how well the film was being reviewed by websites like Rotten Tomatoes and by film critics like Roger Ebert. However, I was quite skeptical if a sequel would live up to the original. With the way the story wrapped up, I wasn’t quite sure what other stories they could tell. As soon as I saw the trailer for its sequel,  Ralph Breaks the Internet, all of my worries and doubts went away.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is directed by Rich Moore, who directed the first film, and Phil Johnson. Most of the original voice cast of Wreck-It Ralph reprise their roles, including John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, and Jack McBrayer. In addition, several major actors voice new characters in  Ralph Breaks the Internet, including Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, and Bill Hader.

It’s become a commonality that film trailers reveal too much about its plot. However, I have to give massive praise to the trailers of this film for not revealing any major plot details. The trailers only revealed that the best friend duo, Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope Von Schweetz, travel to uncharted territory, the internet. The fact that I didn’t know much about the plot made it a much more enjoyable experience.

Much like in real life, six years have passed after the events of the original film. Ralph and Vanellope have remained friends and do almost everything together. However, Vanellope begins to have doubts about who she is and whether there’s more to life than just being a video game character. Ralph, in hopes of cheering up his friend, creates a new track in Vanellope’s game Sugar Rush.

Vanellope, seeing the new track, takes a detour while a player is behind the wheel. Not knowing why the wheel is moving on its own, the player tries to regain control of the games but ends up breaking the wheel. The arcade owner contemplates ordering another wheel but it’s too expensive. With all the characters of Sugar Rush, including Vanellope, in major trouble of losing their home, Ralph and Vanellope venture off to the internet to try and get the wheel delivered to the arcade.

The film’s voice cast does a phenomenal job throughout the entire film. I’m not the biggest fan of John C. Reilly but his portrayal of Ralph is just as funny as it was in the original film. Sarah Silverman’s take on Vanellope is different from the first film. Less sure of herself, Vanellope tries to figure out who she really is and what that will mean for her and her friendship with Ralph. Silverman’s performance really spoke to me whenever this came up. It’s something that all people go through at one point in their lives. The friendship between Reilly’s and Silverman’s characters grew stronger since the first film, and the way they portray their characters shows just how close they are. They both do a fantastic job of delivering the overall messages of friendship, identity, and self-discovery throughout  Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Like the previous films and in true Disney fashion, there are numerous cameos and easter eggs throughout Ralph Breaks the Internet. One of the major cameos in the film is shown in the trailer but it was worth it. Most of the major Disney Princesses are in fact in the film. And if you think that the film gave away the only scene that they’ll show up in, I’m happy to say that’s not the case. They play a much bigger role in the film and with Vanellope’s development as a character.

Keeps your eyes open on several other cameos. Some of them will definitely surprise you.

Overall, I highly recommend that you go watch Ralph Breaks the Internet. It manages to include what made the original film a fan favorite but also adds its own elements that will surely make this film a success. If you’re looking for a family-friendly film that will surely get you to laugh, make sure you catch the film at your local theater as soon as you can.