Believe it or not, the first Wreck-It Ralph was released a whopping six years ago. It was a simpler time—perhaps, a time when “break the Internet” literally referred to technical issues and not to the viral spread of provocative content. A time when you could plug in your teal iMac G3 and whiz down a “series of tubes”….wait, what year is this?
Look, we’re not saying that this movie doesn’t look fun as all get-out, and we’re definitely loving how the premise of the sequel expands on the Wreck-It Ralph universe. But here’s the thing: An arcade is a relatively controllable environment. The Internet? Is not. In this trailer, we see the personification of pop-up ads (we’ve all blocked our pop-up ads by now, right?), clickbait, and Ebay, but what about 4chan, cryptocurrency, and the dark Web? What about bots, cookies, and the end of net Neutrality? Forgive us for being the heavies here, but it’s 2018 now and we’re in the darkest timeline, which makes us a little more discerning about where we get our warm fuzzies. You’ll forgive us if we’re hoping for something a little more Black Mirror than Toy Story. The kids can handle it! Nay, they must. In a time where Hollywood’s typical animated fare is failing the children, we need more entertainment that honors their intelligence and arms them with media literacy and not just an appetite for promotional tie-ins.
But hey, we’ve heard a rumor that in Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2, each and every one of the Disney princesses (including the ones from Frozen!) will be making an appearance—which means that Ralph and Vanellope will potentially be hacking the Disney vault! Holy nostalgia as escapism, batfriends! In the new economy of referentiality as meaning, business is booming. If we told you we wouldn’t be heading to theaters over Thanksgiving weekend to see which other familiar faces turn up, though, we’d be lying. The Internet may be a terrible place to live, but we all still live there.
Do you love previews? We sure do! The Trailer Park is where to meet us, weekly, for hot takes on the coolest Coming Attractions (popcorn not included). And if you’re chasing the chaotic spirit of the original Wreck-It Ralph in anticipation of the sequel, or jonesing for more high-quality family-friendly films that parents can enjoy just as much, don’t sleep on charmingly anarchic stop-motion delight A Town Called Panic, streaming right now on Fandor!
