1. What's it about?
Inside the arcade console game "Fix it Felix, Jr.," Ralph is the bad guy who wrecks the building; he's basically a human version of the gorilla from Donkey Kong, and he's been wrecking Niceland for 30 years now. He's starting to get tired of it. He wants to be lauded as a hero and get a shiny medal and a pie, like the ones the Nicelanders keep giving Felix. He decides to leave his game and win a medal elsewhere in the arcade. He joins a new first-person shooter game called "Hero's Duty," serving under the fearsome Sgt. Calhoun, where he hopes to get the medal he seeks. After his misadventure there, Ralph accidentally ends up in the '90s Japanese candy-themed cart racer game "Sugar Rush," where he meets Vanellope von Schweetz, a would-be racer with troubles of her own. When a deadly threat puts the candy world in peril, Ralph has to become the hero he wanted people to think he was.
2. Will my kids like it?
Your kids will love it. Wreck-It Ralph is a lot of fun, a densely plotted story that keeps moving and springs one surprise after another. It's immensely appealing and has a lot of heart. It also has well over a hundred cameo appearances by characters from practically every videogame you or your kids ever played. It's funny, sad, sweet, charming, exciting, action-packed and smart.
3. Will I like it?
You'll love it. The parade of cameos and little throwaway gags will crack you up, Ralph and Vanellope might make you shed a tear or two, the little love story involving secondary characters will make you smile. Wreck-It Ralph has a somewhat convoluted plot, but the filmmakers do a great job of providing all the information you need without ever tipping you off as to what's coming next, and an even better job of keeping the story from feeling like a clockwork construction where the characters just move through the plot because the script says so. There are no gaping logic holes to irritate you, no plot-induced stupidity, no hand-waving to cover arbitrary contrivances; everything moves briskly, logically and convincingly in a very natural manner. I really can't say enough good things about Wreck-It Ralph. This is what "all ages" means; there are things the kids will like, things teens will like, and other things adults of any age will like. It's the best animated film Disney has done in at least 10 years, maybe more. It's clear that Disney is now in their Third Wave of Greatness; the first was the Walt Disney years, the second was the Wells-Eisner-Katzenberg era, and now John Lasseter is bringing Disney back to its rightful place at the top of the family entertainment world.
4. How is the 3-D?
It's pretty unobtrusive most of the time; there's not a lot of stuff being shoved at the camera; the sequences when the 3-D earns its keep are the game-play sequences in "Hero's Duty" and "Sugar Rush." You don't need to see it in 3-D, but if you do, it works nicely.
5. What's the geek appeal?
It's ALL geek appeal. There are lots of inside jokes, references to obscure videogames, and a few Easter eggs. For example, at one point a character uses the famous Konami code to open a secret door. I'm not much of a gamer, and even I recognized a lot of the guest stars; if your gaming knowledge extends past Dig Dug, you'll get a lot of laughs out of background elements, offhand remarks and abundant sight gags.
6. How is the voice cast?
The cast is perfect. The producers actually went to the trouble of getting the actual voice performers for all the cameo characters; when you hear Sonic or the Street Fighter characters talking, it's the same voices you remember from the games. Of the main cast, John C. Reilly imparts a warmth and likability to Ralph while still keeping him a big oaf who breaks things. (Reilly has got to stop doing so many "frat pack" comedies where he plays dumb and irritating characters; Ralph is the most appealing and human he's been since his star-making turn in Chicago.) Sarah Silverman's Vanellope is adorable and makes a very compelling underdog character that you really root for. Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch are perfect as Fix-It Felix Jr. and Sgt. Calhoun. There's not a wrong note to be found in this film.
7. When is the best time for a bathroom break?
If you or your child absolutely have to go to the bathroom, try to wait for the scene where Vanellope learns to drive. It's a typical training montage, with some fun bits of comedic action, but there's no plot advancement at all. Just try to get back before Rihanna finishes her song.
8. Will I want to see it again?
You will have to see it again just to catch all the stuff going on in the background, spot all the cameo appearances and read all the game-related graffiti, signs, props and other references, but even aside from that Wreck-It Ralph is very entertaining. I've seen it twice and want to see it again. This is one your kids are going to have running on the Blu-ray nonstop for at least a month.
9. How is the music?
Really good. The composer, Henry Jackman, artfully weaves classic game sounds into the score, and the songs punctuate the action well, particularly Rihanna's 2007 hit "Shut Up and Drive," which plays over the aforementioned training montage. Grammy winner Skrillex contributes original music to the soundtrack and has a cameo appearance in the film, and there are songs by Owl City, Japanese pop group AKB48, Buckner & Garcia and Kool & the Gang.
10. Do I need to stay after the credits?
You don't need to; there's no extra information or bonus scenes or hints to a possible sequel or anything like that, but the credits are entertaining. Accompanied by a couple of songs written for the movie, the end credits feature the cast in 8-bit animated form, bouncing through an arcade game version of highlights from the film. The credits conclude with a cute little bit of visual business; nothing important, just a little visual gag. You won't have missed anything if you don't stay.
