WRECK-IT RALPH
(2012, Blu-ray released March 5, 2013 – MSRP $49.99)
THE FILM:
- “Prepare for adventure when ‘the most original film in years’ (Bryan Erdy, CBS-TV) that thrilled audiences of all ages drops on Blu-ray! From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in Disney‘s Wreck-It Ralph. For decades, Ralph has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz. Then, when an evil enemy threatens their world, Ralph realizes he holds the fate of the entire arcade in his massive hands. Featuring an all-star voice cast and breakthrough bonus features that take you even deeper into the world of video games, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph has something for every player.“
WHO SHOULD BUY:
Wreck-It Ralph is a movie for just about everyone under 45 years of age. And for most above 45. Come to think of it, the film does a pretty good job of selling itself to just about anyone who’ll give it a chance.
Yes, Wreck-It Ralph is set in a world of video games – actually set inside the old coin-operated machines in the arcade, in a world inhabited by characters 8-bit to million-bit – and plays toward those strengths but the personality of the characters is so tangible and recognizable and the story so sincere, that it’s appeal should be just about universal. Those of us who’ve grown up playing video games, of course, have additional treats in store, as the film is simply littered top to bottom with references and in jokes. Even the all new games and characters created for the film riff on recognizable tropes found in popular titles like Donkey Kong and Gears of War.
But this is smart stuff. You don’t need to be a gamer to empathize with Ralph’s (the voice of John C. Reilly) plight, and that provides a solid backbone for the film. His cohort Vanellope, however, voiced in grating tones by Sarah Silverman, wears out her welcome long before the credits role. Thankfully, costars Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch tend to even things out, grounding the scenes and keeping Silverman’s racer character from ostracizing the older, (read: me) more persnickety set.
THE BLU-RAY DISC:
I’m not going to tell you anything here that you don’t already know – Wreck-It Ralph looks and sounds perfect on Blu-ray. Did you expect anything less from a Disney-delivered digital-to-digital transfer? Both the 2D and 3D presentations are pixel perfect with nary a hint of an issue with the encode. The 3D experience is just as immersive as it was in the theatre – perhaps even more so with the tighter home video presentation. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is so powerful and dynamic that’s it’s most likely the envy of every action film released on Blu-ray to date. This is a hell of a track. One that you’ll be pleased to fire up when you want to demo your home theatre system.
I have to admit that I’m a little dissapointed in the collection of bonus goodies in this 4-disc set. Sure, you get the film in multiple flavours (3D and 2D Blu, DVD and digital) but I would’ve killed for some kind of commentary or picture-in-picture track to learn more about the production. Though there’s a brief 17-minute “making of” featurette and nearly 15-minutes worth of deleted scenes, I was left wanting more. Thank goodness for the 10-minutes worth of Chris Hardwick content present in the Disney Intermission when the film is paused.
I am, of course, choosing to complain about what I feel was missed in the set without giving accolades for the finest feature included – the Oscar winning “Paperman” Theatrical Short. It’s smart, funny, touching, incredibly well designed and nearly worth the price of the disc set alone. Don’t miss it!
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- “Paperman” Theatrical Short — A Young Man In An Office Sees The Girl Of His Dreams In A Skyscraper Window Across The Street. But How Can He Get Her Attention?
- Bit By Bit: Creating The Worlds Of WRECK-IT RALPH — Game Jump Through The Worlds Of The Film With The Filmmakers, Artists And Animators Who Created it
- Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide To WRECK-IT RALPH — Hosted By Chris Hardwick
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes
- Video Game Commercials — Original Commercials For Fix-It Felix, Jr., Hero’s Duty And Sugar Rush
