Though both Ralph Breaks the Internet and its predecessor have Ralph as the
titular character and his character does have the most growth, Vanellope has an
engaging and relatable journey of her own. The writing for their respective
characters really makes sense. Ralph’s game was created in the late 70’s/early
80’s so it makes sense for his character to be simpler minded with basic goals
because his programming was quite basic at the time of his inception. Then
looking at Vanellope, whose game Sugar Rush was likely released in the late 90s,
will not only have more advanced programming but also came about when the
phrase girl power was
very popular.
very popular.
In Ralph Breaks the Internet, Vanellope’s dissatisfaction with the status
quo is what catapults the story. While scouring the internet Ralph and
Vanellope come across an online street racing game called Splatter place in
which the races are far more dangerous and thus more challenging than anything
Vanellope experienced in Sugar Rush. There the duo meets Shank, leader of the
extreme street racers, who Vanellope instantly develops a competitive
friendship with which stems from a professional respect. The two become friends
and elevate each other which provides a truly positive message for young women.
The best scene hands down in the
film is when Vanellope makes a trip to the site Oh My Disney and meets the
Disney Princesses. They take her in because Vanellope as we learned in the
first Wreck it Ralph is Princess
Vanellope Von Schweets. She even gets her own Disney Princess Reflective song
provided by none other than the great Academy Award Winner Alan Menken whose
song “A Place Called Splatter Race” manages to be both fun and introspective,
as only Maestro Menken can do.
But Vanellope is a different kind of princess.
In the scene, each of the princesses provides a bit of their backstories which
include being friends with rodents, poisoned by an apple, trading a voice for
legs, and so on. The pacing and rapid-fire dialogue in this scene plays as
brilliant comedy especially since its Disney poking fun at themselves. And then
Vanellope shows how different she is again by getting the princesses to trade
in their gowns for comfortable attire and encouraging them to stand up for
themselves. This encouragement plays out later when the princesses come to aide
Vanellope in the third act for another one of the best scenes.
Whereas the gimmick of the first Wreck it Ralph was life in an arcade and
used characters and graphics of arcade games and reached into the realm of nostalgia,
Ralph Breaks the Internet uses the
gimmick of the internet. Instead of seeing a small tight knit group of characters
closed off from the world, we are introduced to a whole new realm as the film
digs into how the internet works both on a comedic nuts and bolts level as well
as its real effect on society. How “trending” works was a particularly deep
dive into how the internet can become truly insane as it connects and divides
people. And while it is always fun to see what the creative minds at Disney conjure
up in the worlds they create it is, as always, the themes which really touch
and elevate the stories. And, like the first film, Ralph Breaks the Internet is about friendship, loyalty, and
sacrifice. By the end of the film important lessons will have been learned, but
I can’t guarantee the result won’t break your heart.
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