Wreck-it Ralph is Hollywood's latest foray in to the subculture world of gaming---a world that Hollywood essentially knows nothing about, with examples I refuse to mention so I don't have the sensation of throwing up. Except this time its Disney turning on the nostalgia while delivering a fresh story that involves a mixing of classic-style arcade games with the new-school arcade hits that we currently see. So what we have is a pure gamer movie, right?
Not quite. It is not a gamer's movie, it is really an animated movie with many, many nods to the world of arcade and console gaming. There is a major difference. You don't have the pacing, style, mood, and tone of a video game here unlike the visually stimulating whirlwind of a trip we experienced in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Instead you have a movie with a major Disney touch and essentially becoming the modern-day version of Who Framed Roger Rabbit---a new cast of characters being joined by dozens of cameos from old-school favorites.
Don't let this statement deter you, just let it allow you to hover your mind around the fact that the cameos you saw in the trailer was not a sample, it was a display of the entire menu. Luckily for this movie, the cast of characters featured are very likable, have their moments to shine, and do propel the movie forward when the plot (and amount of references) gets stuck in the mud. From the lovable baddie Wreck-It Ralph to the adorably filthy and sarcastic Vannelope (brilliantly executed by Sarah Silverman, an underrated comedic gem), you will feel for the characters much like when you immerse yourself in a gigantic video game. You will root for the two as they both fight for a place in gaming society, in a world that mistreats the outcasts, gaming villains, and anything too retro.
In a sort of ironic twist, Disney and Nintendo (the current gaming leader) are very alike in mannerisms, and also very similar in how their audience reach prevents them from fulfilling their true potential. With Nintendo they aim to remain looking hardcore while attempting to reach out into the mainstream. With Wreck-It Ralph, it was a kids movie full of sight and verbal gags that will giggle the children and tweens while severely pushing heavy and subtle gaming references to the 80s, 90s, and gamers of today even. There is a Leroy Jenkins reference for crying out loud. Surely everyone gets their spoonful of fun, but it prevents the movie from truly pushing towards something edgy, something more.
But what they do deliver, is a delightful movie that is chock full of nostalgia and originality. This awkward mix works for the company that saved the gaming industry, and works for the film that celebrates it.
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