Another movie I saw this past weekend and more up my alley than Cloud Atlas was Wreck-It-Ralph. I don’t think this review is particularly spoiler-heavy but some more sensitive to them than others, so here’s a warning link just in case.

SPOILER WARNING

I have a love/hate relationship with video games. I don’t play many because I hate losing, but I end up playing anyway usually becomes there’s some character or customization I like (and an easy mode or stupid AI can fix the first problem). In any case, I liked the idea from the start even though I’m not exactly an expert on arcade games. Still, games are relevant to my interest.

The general concept is akin to Toy Story with its toys in a boy’s bedroom now taken instead to an arcade. The characters actively do their job while being played but once the arcade is closed, they can leave their cabinet and meet with other characters across different games or in one central station that connects them all. Our main character is Ralph, and he’s the bad guy in his game but is getting a bit fed up with his lot in life since the hero of his game gets so many perks while he gets to live alone in the garbage.

At first the, movie focuses on setting the premise with cameos and gags relating to video games. Then it shifts gears moving to focus more on its own story about Ralph’s experience from his game to Hero’s Duty to Sugar Rush. Sugar Rush is where a large part of the movie takes place. There’s some silly candy puns in between as well. I think the main characters do a good job fulfilling their tropes and the interactions that happen as a result. It’s cute, it’s sweet, and it’s fun. I am eager to find or make some animated GIFs of the ending credits.

No doubt we’ll be buying this one when it releases on Blu-ray, and I know Andrew will be pausing to find what he missed and what he can recognize.