Review of Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) by Kj P — 30 Nov 2018

Due to the sheer notion that animated movies just simply take longer to perfect than live-action films (most of the time), it should come as no surprise that some sequels arrive slightly later than expected. That being said, six years has been a pretty long gap for this Wreck-It Ralph sequel. Ralph Breaks the Internet has been advertised as an advertisement itself for every app that kids and adults use on their phones and laptops, and that has scared from the very first trailer, but it's much more than meets the eye. I don't believe this sequel is quite as good as the original (which is a hard task regardless), but the emotional core and overall entertainment is absolutely still present. This is a very good sequel that deserves to be seen.

Sugar Rush's steering wheel has been destroyed and Vanellope's game is about to be unplugged. With the help of Ralph, they venture into the internet in hopes of finding the seller on eBay in order to buy a new one. This premise is really just a tool in order to showcase the internet in a film, but unlike the film The Emoji Movie, it's done tastefully. Going through emotional undertones about friendship and what it really means deep down, this is a film that explores new sides to these characters, but I felt that it didn't quite go as deep as the first, which is what made me love that one immediately. I didn't quite feel blown away by this one, but there's no denying that it's well-done nonetheless.

As I mentioned, my biggest fear going into this film was that it would feel like an internet advertisement, and while it does serve the story, I have to admit it was a bit much at times. From Snapchat to Twitter and even down to exploiting Disney's entire catalogue of characters (in a good and enjoyable way), it felt as though the studio was trying to showcase everything great that they own. That being said, these sequences are actually a blast to watch, as it feels like you're in Disney World. It does serve the story and the final act of the movie has a great payoff that I think many viewers will get a kick out of. Personally, I just believe they could've saved some of the characters for a third instalment.

The best portion of this movie is actually the addition of the new character Shank (voiced by Gal Gadot). Not that her character has much to do, but the game surrounding her character, along with the relationship she forms with Vanellope, honestly gave this movie a much-needed layer. I loved every aspect of when this film entered her game, Slaughter Race. This game pretty much shapes the course of the entire movie and I was pleasantly surprised by this. This movie has many aspects that could've made this sequel even better than the original, but I feel it was slightly too overstuffed with characters to be able to say that.

In the end, Ralph Breaks the Internet is a very good follow-up to its predecessor, even though there's a little too much going on at times. Ralph and Vanellope each have new character arcs and obstacles to cross throughout the course of this film and that aspect along almost had me saying this is an improvement over the first, but I have a few issues with how crowded the movie felt to really let that sink in. Overall, this movie should absolutely please fans of the first who are looking for a nice emotional payoff, and the journey this movie takes you on is fantastic, so I can't complain too much. Ralph Breaks the Internet is a great sequel.