WRECK-IT RALPH

What distinguishes ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ from other Disney fare is its grounding in a semi-real world that’s not entirely of Disney invention. Ostensibly an exercise in savvy unprecedented license use, ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ plays homage to video games and gaming culture, cleverly exploiting our love and familiarity of existing arcade culture with appearances from iconic characters. This is a superficial gimmick, however, as although the much publicised likes of Sonic, Pac-Man, Bowser, and the ‘Street Fighter’ crew all appear, they’re in fleeting, blink-and-you’ll-miss-em cameos, with no meaningful impact upon the story.

Instead, the film is content to focus on allusions to drive its plot forward, primarily in the form of ‘Hero’s Duty’ (an amalgam of ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Gears of War’), and ‘Sugar Rush’ (‘Mario Kart’ without an insulin shot). Ralph himself steps from the ‘Donkey Kong’ mould of rampaging gorilla, and for the most part, this works: he’s a vastly more compelling facsimile of D.K., and the film’s refusal to rely on established characters (most conspicuously the portly Nintendo plumber himself) is bolstered by strong original characterisation.

The voice cast does much to improve what would otherwise be an unremarkable Disney journey of self-discovery, with John C. Reilly giving real depth to the eponymous Ralph. His brutish exterior masks a much gentler heart, and like Reilly himself, is more than he appears. Jane Lynch is razor sharp as Sergeant Calhoun, the gun-toting super-solider from ‘Hero’s Duty’, providing the bulk of the film’s laughs (together with Jack McBrayer’s naïve Felix). Sarah Silverman sanitises her signature inner child as Vanellope, the boisterous glitch from ‘Sugar Rush’, successfully navigating the balance between cutesy and annoying. While some of the story contrivances come across as simply that (contrivance), and have a tendency to telegraph their imminent arrival, it hangs together on the strength of these actors and the characters they bring to life.

While it may seem more shamelessly commercial than its DreamWorks rival, ‘Rise of the Guardians’ (and make no mistake, it is), ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ succeeds in every area the former film failed. Funnier, cleverer, and with considerably more heart, ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ engages and involves with what so many children’s films lack: emotion. Although it might seem a departure from their usual fairytale fodder, the Disney spirit is alive and well in the hopes and dreams of these arcade creations, and for a generation of children who’ll grow to love them.