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  • Writer's pictureKaveh Jalinous

Ralph Breaks The Internet (2018): Film Review





I'm going to keep it real from the very start: I hated Wreck-It-Ralph. A lot. I found it dull, lifeless, and a meaningless cash-grab that had no value to it whatsoever. For some reason, I have seen it multiple times; and while I find the last stretch of the film to be a little bit better than the rest, I still hate the film all-together. So, when I heard that they were making a Wreck-It-Ralph 2, entitled "Ralph Breaks The Internet", I put no interest into the subject in any way. It seemed like it was destined to be a bad movie, no matter how entertaining the trailer was (in other news, one of the trailers uses Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger", which is an automatic victory), it just seemed like Ralph Breaks The Internet was destined to fail in my mind, just like the first one did so heavily. After seeing it, there is only one verdict that fits the movie: although there are some parts that are odd and abysmal, most of the film is pretty great, with a lot of laughs, love, and surprising emotion. The film throws us back into the arcade six years after the events of the first film with our two heroes, Ralph and Vanelope, whose friendship is better than ever. But, when an accident causes the steering wheel on Sugar Crush (Vanelope's game) to break off, the two must venture out into the internet to attempt to find the missing part to the game. While exploring this new world, they share new experiences, meet a wide variety of people, and test the limits of their friendship as the world drives them further and further from each other. The biggest victory of the film itself is the way they presented the internet, which felt fresh and new, while making sense at the same time. Every little action that a person does while on the internet was explained in the film, which made sense, and flashed a new light to how one sees the tool as a whole. The film is funnier than the first because it's more relatable, in aspects of what actually happens in the film, and the messages that the film presents to its audience. Elaborating on that, the film takes the time to present a much-needed theme on cyber-bullying and the actual harms that come with the internet, something that isn't really done in cinema these days. The animation is pretty great, and the studio really nailed a good concept of the internet, that is quite appealing to kids and adults alike. But, no film is perfect, and Ralph Breaks The Internet has a few flaws, that really hinder it's general score. Firstly, while I really enjoyed the first and second acts of the film, everything seemed to fall apart in the final act, making almost zero sense and ruining a lot of the movie for me. It seemed to dumb down, and become a sheer mess in a rushed act that had no meaning or purpose whatsoever. We don't see as many characters as we did in the last movie, except at the very beginning or end, which is kind of sad, as we had grown to like some of the characters from the first one, who barely had any time to shine. The film is a little too light, with none of the events having any sort of relevance to the film, as they all seem to airy (if that makes sense). Besides these flaws, Ralph Breaks The Internet (I still think it should be called Ralph Wrecks The Internet, as one of the teasers said - it just makes more sense that way!) is a pretty solid movie that has a lot more to offer than you would expect. Although it is far from perfect, it is a step in the right direction for this series as a whole, and is a thoroughly enjoyable film that can be enjoyed by people of any age. It's fun, and at the end of the day, that is a win; even if it happens to lack some substance, and harrows a completely messy third act. Regardless, it's good for the family, and who knows, maybe you'll get a kick out of it yourself.

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