Tonight's Movie: Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Six years ago this month saw the release of Disney's WRECK-IT RALPH (2012), a TOY STORY-esque film about the secret life of video game characters.

As I wrote at the time, I liked but didn't love the film for various reasons. Today I saw the sequel, RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (2018), and I'm pleased to say it's a sequel which is a marked improvement over the original. I found it quite delightful.

The action takes place a half-dozen years after the original movie. The steering wheel on the Sugar Rush arcade game breaks, so Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) decide to visit the internet via the arcade's newly installed wifi router. They're in search of eBay and a vintage replacement wheel so that the aging Sugar Rush game won't be shut down permanently.

The majority of the film is set in the magical world of the internet, and it's as clever and crazy as one could wish. There are stops at places such as Pinterest and Amazon, and GeoCities and dial-up litter a graveyard of sorts. Vanellope's encounter with a host of Disney princesses at the Oh My Disney site is as funny as expected from previews, and the princesses return to pitch in during the movie's climactic battle.

It must have been great fun dreaming up this film and all the places the characters could visit; it's certainly fun to watch it! There's so much eye candy filling the screen that I suspect viewers will be discovering new things to look at on a second, third, or fourth viewing.

There was a certain tackiness to the earlier film, particularly potty language and humor, which is largely missing here. It's a better, more family-friendly story, and while the original film was creative, RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET expands on that world and takes it to new levels. I had a very good time watching it.

The voice cast includes Alan Tudyk, Jane Lynch, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Ed O'Neill, and Alfred Molina.

Original princess voices appearing in the film include Jodi Benson, Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Linda Larkin, Mandy Moore, Paige O'Hara, Auli'i Cravalho, Irene Bedard, Ming-Na Wen, and Anika Noni Rose. Snow White, Aurora, and Cinderella are voiced by Pamela Ribon, Kate Higgins, and Jennifer Hale, respectively.

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET was directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston. The running time is 112 minutes.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated PG. There is a tiny bit of crass humor but, as mentioned, it's much less of an issue than it was in WRECK-IT RALPH.

A trailer is here.