Wreck-It-Ralph – Childhood Nostalgia (Recommendation)

Year: 2012

Director: Rich Moore

Starring: Sarah Silverman, John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, Jack McBrayer, Rich Moore, Alan Tudyk, Phil Johnston, Ed O’Neil, Mindy Kaling

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87E6N7ToCxs

 

In 2012, Rich Moore directed and created a film that is both nostalgic for adults, while still being current and interesting for children: Wreck-It-Ralph. Ralph (John C. Reilly) is the “bad guy” in his arcade game, Fix It Felix Jr. On the 30^th anniversary of his game, his fellow characters, the Nicelanders, hold a party without him, making Ralph resent his villain status. He sets out on a journey to prove himself a hero, resulting in Felix (Jack McBrayer) having to follow Ralph before he is able to destroy more than just the longevity of their game.

We all remember our first trip to the arcade. A fistful of twenty pence coins, clutched and ready to be used. The anticipation for the game to commence. This is a feeling that never goes away, whether it’s a game on your phone, Nintendo, or at an arcade, you still find yourself competitively squaring up to your opponent, the game. This is evident in one scene where Stan Litwak (Ed O’Neill), the arcade owner, opens the doors and says “you too, little fella” to an older man when welcoming people, suggesting that he is a regular, stressing that arcade games aren’t just to be enjoyed by children.

It is well known that Fix It Felix Jr has never been a real game, and was created for the film. Nonetheless, since the film’s release, multiple multi-media Wreck-It-Ralph games have been distributed globally, rooting Ralph as a character of our children’s youths, possibly making him a nostalgic icon of their future.

On the other hand, the adults in attendance are taken back to their own childhoods through the appearance of iconic characters in minor roles. In one scene we see Ralph attending a Bad-anon meeting with Cyril (House of the Dead); Beholder (dungeons and dragons); Kano (Mortal Kombat); Neff (Altered Beasts), Mishaela (Shining Force); Cyborg (Cyborg Justice); Clyde (Pac-Man); Eggman (Sonic), M. Bison (Street Fighter); Zangief (Street Fighter); Bowser (Mario); Noob Saibot (Mortal Kombat); and Sateen (Satan’s Hollow), all of whom are famous game antagonists. It’s surreal to see well-known supervillains discussing their villainy in such a candid way, and it creates a sense of plausibility to the universe in which everything is set. Ultimately, Moore humanises these anti-heroes, making them relatable. This is apparent when they recite their mantra, “I’m bad, and that’s good. I will never be good, and that’s not bad. There’s no one I’d rather be than me”, showing their struggle with confidence, teaching children the importance of self-awareness and acceptance.

As the film progresses we see Ralph befriend Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), a wannabe race car driver from Sugar Rush. Through this unlikely friendship, the pair remind the audience that accepting one’s faults and using them as strengths is a positive; that you don’t need to be accepted and loved by all to be happy; and through confidence and self-belief, we are able to achieve any goal we set ourselves.

As a whole, Wreck-It-Ralph wonderfully blends the tropes of modern arcade games, with the simpler game style of the 1980s, creating a universe that allows modern creativity and nostalgia to live simultaneously, and appeal to an audience of both adults and children.