Reviews for Lightyear indicate that Buzz Lightyear's origin story is not as compelling as the Toy Story films, but it's still impressive that the beloved franchise continues to make movies almost 30 years after the first one. And while Wreck-It Ralph may not be as iconic as Toy Story, it made enough of an impact to spawn a sequel, Ralph Break the Internet, and it happens to be celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
Set in the world of arcade video games, Wreck-It Ralph is about a video game villain who wishes to be seen as someone other than a 'bad guy'. This leads to some poignant quotes about identity, but the movie is anything but heavy, and is also full of hilarious one-liners.
In order to prove himself a hero, Ralph sneaks into the newest arcade game called Hero's Duty, a high-definition sci-fi first-person shooter. But coming from a more upbeat and straightforward game with simple graphics, Ralph greatly underestimates just how dangerous it is in Hero's Duty.
Ralph's exclamation of terror to the confused girl playing the game is both laughable and sympathetic. What's more, it is something of a satirical comment on modern video games, as most games of the past were simpler, more family-friendly, and certainly not in high-def.
Wreck-It Ralph's villain, King Candy, is one of the best characters in the movie. Voiced by Alan Tudyk in one of his funniest Disney roles, King Candy is the self-proclaimed and supposedly benevolent ruler of the video game Sugar Rush, though there is much more to him than meets the eye.
One of the movie's most memorable quotes is King Candy's catchphrase "Have some candy!" Its simplicity is emphasized by King Candy's pronounced lisp, which according to SMH, was a loving yet funny tribute to Ed Wynn's Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. It's an easily recitable and enactable quote overall.
Fix-It Felix Jr. is the eponymous hero of his video game in which Ralph is the villain, The only character in the game to show Ralph any kindness, Felix is a rather amicable person. He has a sunny demeanor and never seems to get mad.
It is this optimistic attitude that makes his rare moments of frustration both adorable and funny. Angry at Ralph for his actions, he crossly tells him "I don't have to do boo! Forgive my potty mouth." Felix apologizing for something that does not even pass as a swear word is beyond endearing, and only makes him all the more likable.
Another lovable character in Wreck-It Ralph is mischievous deuteragonist Vanellope Von Schweetz, voiced by Sarah Silverman in one of her best movie roles. Like Ralph, Vanellope is an outcast in her game due to glitching unpredictably. Although she really gets on his nerves at first, the two soon become best friends.
In a childlike fashion, she is quick to mock Ralph's pursuit of a medal in Hero's "Doodie." In an outburst of giggles, Vanellope makes joke after joke about Hero's Duty, much to Ralph's chagrin. While mild toilet humor is not to everyone's liking, it's difficult not to laugh along with Vanellope here.
At first glance, King Candy seems to be a friendly and lovable character. However, as the movie progresses, this is revealed to be far from the truth as Candy proves himself to be a rather menacing villain. Although, with his saccharine tastes, it is sometimes hard to take him seriously.
One such example is threatening to throw Ralph in his "fungeon." The threat started off as sinister until he mentioned the "fungeon" and proceeded to explain how he got the name to a confused Ralph. This is fitting with King Candy's persona e and the movie's humor while equally showing that King Candy may be all fun and games but he does not mess around.
Sergeant Tamora Calhoun is the no-nonsense main character of Hero's Duty with whom Fix-It Felix falls head over heels in love. Voiced by Jane Lynch in one of her best movie roles, Calhoun helps Felix track down Ralph and save Sugar Rush when a deadly Cy-Bug escapes.
Calhoun has a number of brilliant lines throughout the movie but her first is one of her best. From the moment she appears, everyone immediately knows who is in charge, and Calhoun's character is summed up in such a funny manner that she is very likable from the start.
Although Fix-it Felix did try and show kindness to Ralph, he was equally a people-pleaser in trying to make others happy too and as a result, was initially not the best friend. But the scene where Felix and Ralph are imprisoned together sees the start of a genuine friendship.
Felix complains to Ralph that he does not understand what it's like to be mistreated but Ralph sadly tells him he does, which is why he left the game in the first place. It is a brief bonding moment for the two, with Felix feeling sorry for Ralph's mistreatment, prompting a step forward for their friendship.
The villains of Hero's Duty are the invasive Cy-Bugs yet unlike other video game characters, they do not know they are in a game and destroy anything in their path. Therefore, it's troubling when Ralph accidentally brings one into Sugar Rush.
Calhoun goes after the Cy-Bug and manages to track it down, only to find it has multiplied in vast numbers. Calhoun's exclamation on her discovery, while funny and fitting for her character, could not be more appropriate considering how the Cy-Bugs almost essentially brought an apocalypse into the world of Sugar Rush.
To get Vanellope in the race so she can win back Ralph's medal, the two make a very slap-dash kart in Sugar Rush's minigame bakery. Vanellope also secretly makes Ralph a cookie medal, iced with "To Stinkbrain" on one side and "You're my hero" on the other.
She tells Ralph she made it for him "in case we don't win." For someone who was initially childish and rude to Ralph, this gesture is heartfelt and sweet — literally and figuratively. It not only marks the start of a loving friendship but shows more depth to Vanellope, making her one of the most likable characters in Wreck-It Ralph.
The most poignant quote in Wreck-It Ralph is the video game villain support group motto. The line is first heard at the support group, where all of the villains in attendance recite it together before departing from the meeting.
But it is most significantly remembered during Ralph's sacrifice in the movie's climactic scene as he plunges into the volcano to save Sugar Rush. He recites it to himself while clutching Vanellope's handmade medal. It's a defining moment for Ralph as he realizes that even though he is a bad guy in his game, he is not a bad guy at all.
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