As a gamer, I can tell you there is no faster way to get me to watch a movie than give me a film with a good plot and tons of action. Make it a movie involving video games in some way, and I’ll probably be there for a midnight release. “Wreck-It Ralph” had me wanting to see the movie from the second I saw the trailers for it back in the summer. This movie by Disney was well worth the wait.
Before the movie even started, I was hooked. Disney often shows cartoon shorts before their actual movies, and this time, they treated the audience to a short with love, mean bosses and paper airplanes with attitudes. Titled ‘Paperman,’ the short was the perfect comedy with a hint of romance.
The movie stars “Wreck-It” Ralph, who plays the villain in the arcade game “Fix-It Felix, Jr.” Ralph  starts feeling neglected and disliked by his fellow game characters, which is amplified when the characters celebrate the 30 anniversary of the game. In order to be welcome among his peers, Ralph undertakes a challenge to obtain a medal that declares him a hero. The journey takes him from “Hero’s Duty” to “Sugar Rush.”
I would call the movie a comedy  but perhaps one with morals and insightful themes peppered in. Then again, as it’s a Disney movie, I probably should’ve expected that. Fortunately for them, I quite like walking away from a movie with having some things to think about, while enjoying a chuckle or a hundred.
“Wreck-It Ralph” surprised me most by how many themes the plot touched on. Unemployment? Check. Romance? Check. Dissatisfaction with ‘the system’? Check. Characters who are literally glitches in the code of life? Check. Power-hungry maniacs and corruption? Check and check.
While the movie is full of references to video games and cameos that mostly gamers would understand, along with 8-bit graphics and game-crossovers, it’s perfect for anyone who likes emotional movies. There were several times throughout the movie where I wanted to just go give Ralph a man-hug or to shed manly tears of sadness. On the flip-side, I wanted to wreck a character or two. And on occasion, the movie warranted manly tears of happiness.
Disney doesn’t often produce movies that meet the standard of “The Lion King” or “Cinderella” from years past, but every so often, they get it right. This movie is a Disney classic in the making and worth putting off an hour and half of homework to go see.
By Atreyo Ghosh