Video game nerds rejoice! In what is perhaps the most diverse video game character collaboration in history, the Disney animated flick, Wreck-it Ralph, is finally set to open to the public today. Bringing together the likes of Bowser, Sonic, the Pac-Man ghosts and so much more, the movie manages to both incorporate and pay homage to the industry?s past and present. It is truly a gaming wonderland.
Wreck-it Ralph is the story of video game villain, Ralph (John C Reilly), who is growing tired of his evil ways. Constantly being out-shined by his co-character and good guy counterpart, Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer), Ralph sets out on his own adventure to seek a new life of heroism. Along the way, he meets some new faces and accidently unleashes an overwhelming evil. It?s Ralph?s moment to shine, but can he live up to his dream? The movie also stars the voices of Glee?s Jane Lynch as Sergeant Calhoun and comedian Sarah Silverman as Vanellope.
It isn?t often that we?re ushered into the world of the video game villain where we see the repercussions of portraying the antagonist and being continually defeated. It?s an intriguing and unique perspective, and one that is apparently paying off. Currently the movie sits on a very commendable 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with almost 50 reviews in so far. Consensus on the film is as follows:
?Equally entertaining for both kids and parents old enough to catch the references, Wreck-it Ralph is a clever, colorful adventure built on familiar themes and joyful nostalgia.?
While the number is sure to fluctuate as more reviews come in, the current trend is reassuring. Video game movies have a history of falling short of expectations (a la Disney?s Prince of Persia), with the latest victim being the sequel Silent Hill: Revelation, opening to only $8M. Some feared that Ralph would suffer a similar fate, but it seems that Disney has learned from its past video game endeavors. IGN raved about Ralph, giving it a 9.5/10 and naming it the best video game movie ever. All that remains to be seen is if the box office will respond equally as positive.
Will you be seeing Wreck-it Ralph this weekend?