Writer: Ng Suzhen

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Watch this if you liked: “Toy Story” franchise

If you've watched the preview of "Wreck-it Ralph" in cinemas, believe that you've been short changed. In this case, it's not really a bad thing.

The animation while keeping in line with being arcade game-based, left out the fun part where audiences get to identify the sweet characters that come in the form of candy.

All attention has been understandably focused on various cameos from classic arcade games we've grown up with, with particular interest at the support group for game villains. Among those attending are Bowser, the fire-spitting King of Koopas from "Super Mario Brothers", Zangief and Bison from "Street Fighter" and Dr. Robotnik from "Sonic the Hedgehog". The group is led by Clyde from "Pac-Man" (yes, believe it that all the ghosts in the game have individual names).

While disliked by gamers as well as fellow gaming characters in their respective 'jobs', the group seem to be content with the fact that they may be 'bad guys but not really 'bad' guys', except for Ralph (John C. Reilly) that is, who has shunned the support group for years until the 30th anniversary of his game "Fix-it Felix, Jr.".

Feeling left out for not being invited to the big celebration party at his own game, Ralph decides that enough is enough and leaves the game in search of a medal to prove that he is capable of being a good guy too.

This is where things start to get from being amused by nostalgia to interesting.
Ralph's journey to RPG game "Hero's Duty" to car racing candyland "Sugar Rush" creates a trail of mess left to be picked up by Felix (Jack McBrayer), the good guy in Ralph's game and Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch) from "Hero's Duty".

It is Ralph's time in "Sugar Rush" where you delight in how the candy community fits in to their role with a little tongue-in-cheek from the writers. Doughnuts as police officers? Classic example.

The animation keeps you excited throughout, from spotting cameos to identifying familiar sweets. Of course, the most definitely heart-warming plot is well supported by the fanciness of the colourful graphics and creative rendering of fictional featured games in the animation. A Japanese theme song for "Sugar Rush" is also included, which proves how far the producers went to create an authentic arcade gaming environment.

Special mention as well to the efforts of the animators for "Wreck-it Ralph" in retaining characteristics of gaming characters which includes the stop-motion like movement for pixelated arcade games such as "Tapper", which requires players to serve beer and collect empty mugs and tips.

Oh yeah, and a reminder to stay behind for the end credits montage just for the kick of nostalgia mingled with some meddling from the characters in "Wreck-it Ralph".

All in all, the animation, which is produced in-house by Walt Disney Animation Studios, keeps up to standard with their usual production with Pixar. The only downside? We wish Ralph has had more time spent panicking in "Hero's Duty". But then, violence may not always be the answer for Disney.

Cinema Online, 23 November 2012