Disney did not have to work too hard to ensure its latest feature "Wreck-It Ralph" will attract the wee players of the Wii generation, as the pitch for an animated film set in an arcade is a no-brainer.
But the creators of what should prevail as the best animated feature of the year have exceeded expectations in producing an imaginative, laugh out loud romp for all ages with a sledgehammer of a (Pixar-esque) story. I’d even go as far as to say that "Wreck-It Ralph" is worthy to play in the same sandbox with Woody and Buzz.
Ralph’s vulnerable voiceover (kudos to the ever-awesome John C. Reilly) will pull you into his corner in the first three sentences of the film as he presents his plight. As the plugged-in villain of 8-bit game "Niceland," Ralph’s been engineered to wreck everything in his path so his game’s hero Fix-it Felix ("30 Rock’s" hilarious rube Jack McBrayer) can fix it all. But when the arcade powers down at night and its various game stars congregate in the power surge hub, we see that the gruffly designed Ralph (who sleeps alone in a pile of bricks) inwardly grapples with his desire to break out of his typecast box in order to win friends and respect.
On a quest to earn a medal that will presumably prove his worth, Ralph befriends Vanellope von Schweetz (a scratchy-voiced, acerbic Sarah Silverman). Dubbed "The Glitch," Vanellope is another pre-programmed underdog who lives in the underbelly of the game Sugar Rush and seeks a medal of her own. But when darker forces emerge and threaten to power down the arcade permanently, they must step outside of their own storylines to save Game Central Station. They recruit the expert combat skills of Hero’s Duty vigilante Sergeant Calhoun (Jayne Lynch), who in one of the best lines from the film, was programmed "with the most tragic backstory ever." And of course Fix-it Felix comes along, eager to wield his golden hammer and woo Sergeant Calhoun with his golden heart.
