A still from the movie 'Wreck-It Ralph'. Photo: AFP
Direction: Rich Moore
Actors: John C Reilly, Sarah Silverman
Rating: ***1/2
For a change, Wreck-It Ralph is a 3D animated adventure which works. A clever amalgam of vintage video arcade games it is rendered in a diverse array of visual styles.
Debutant director Moore, a veteran of The Simpsons, relies on the sophisticated story to keep the geek generation enthralled.
The titular protagonist is an ogre-like villain (dubbed by Reilly) from a fictional 1980s game, who regularly demolishes apartment blocks inhabited by the Nicelanders. But after three decades, Ralph is ready for a change.
He slips out of his game to find out what it feels to be the hero.
In a series of zingy set pieces, he crosses paths with an optimistic handyman (Jack McBrayer), a go-kart racer (Silverman, sassy), a manic despot (Alan Tudyk), and a tough-as-nails female soldier (Jane Lynch).
Fusing the myriad situations into a fun fantasy, Wreck-It Ralph is family-friendly fare. By the way, the feature film is preceded by a poignant seven-minute black-and-white cartoon titled Paperman. Enjoy.