Ralph Breaks the Internet - 3 smiles

"Ralph Breaks the Internet" is breezy and fun although the story is its weakest part. Six years after the end of Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) still find themselves comfortably ensconced in their game consoles at Litwak's arcade - Ralph as the villain in Fix-It Felix and Vanellope at the star racer in Sugar Rush. For Ralph, this is the perfect life; he enjoys reputation and predictability. This sameness is grating on Vanellope, however. Like all Disney Princesses, she craves adventure in the great wide somewhere. When Sugar Rush is damaged and Mr. Litwak can't get a replacement part at a reasonable price, he decides to sell the console for scrap, making Vanellope and dozens of other avatars 'nameless.' To forestall this, Ralph and Vanellope make a dangerous, trek into the 'Internet,' using a newly attached port called 'Wifi.' Their journey includes a visit to a search bar (where the all-knowing bartender attempts to guess Ralph's requests before he finishes speaking them), a stop at an online racing game, an excursion into the seedy bowels of the Dark Eeb and a vacation at a website that specializes in all things Disney (and Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars). Ralph and Vanellope find the part they need on eBay, but, in order to pay for it, they need money. So Ralph makes a series of videos that go viral. The more she sees of the Internet, however, the less satisfied Vanellope becomes about the though of going home.

The central themes of the movie are animated staples: learning about the real meaning of friendship and how it requires sacrifice. While this is derivative, remember, "Ralph Breaks the Internet" is more about style and bling than substance. And there is imagination, just not in story or message. The way the Internet is structured and presented, like a huge city where every website is a building and each user is represented by a digital embodiment of himself, is creative. In an unusual move for a Disney film, there us no true villain. Although there is threat, it results not from an external antagonist, but from Ralph's insecurities, which, in turn, facilitates an action-packed climax.

The movie introduces new characters, most notably the tough car racer Shank (Gal Gadot) and the entity of Yesss (Taraji P. Henson), who promises viral content across a variety of social media platforms. The most fun take place inside the virtual Disneyland. Within this website can be found all the Disney properties and many are accorded cameos. Marvel is represented by Iron Man, Groot and Stan 'the Man' Lee. Pixar's ambassadors are Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Princess Merida (Kelly MacDonald). Star Wars provides stormtroopers and a frazzled C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). But the most entertaining are the Disney princesses - a variety of plucky damsels culled from decades of animated films, many of whom are voiced by the actresses who spoke for them in their original outings. They provide Vanellope with 'princess advice.' "Ralph Breaks the Internet" is a visual tribute to old-time video games, the Internet and Disney. The animation is bright, busy and eye-catching and it's certainly a holiday treat and worth seeing.