Katherine Tang, Ralph Breaks the Internet Response (Extra Credit)

Play-by-play response to Ralph Breaks the Internet: 

From the beginning, Vanellope is on the lookout for more in life and unpredictability, and this from the get-go seems to be the focus of the film. 

The way they visualize the internet is really interesting. It shows, in a way, the interconnectedness of something that in itself is not physical interpretable. Some of the portrayals were hilarious, such as the way that auto-fill was shown through the guy in the booth. The ads that kept jumping out at Ralph was also comical and a little too realistic in how distracting ads can be. Disney’s humorous interpretations of how the internet works and its little features is actually quite innovative. I really like it.

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Ralph’s videos going viral can be commentary on how dumbed-down the media is and how people will consume and enjoy anything — it doesn’t have to be mentally stimulating or original, people will enjoy ANYTHING (including bee puns!). 

At this point, I’m thinking about the articles describing how Disney alters their adaptations to fit the time period and the events of the present day. This movie with its references to popular culture and social media is a blatant demonstration of this.

Ralph’s inability to give Vanellope any room makes me feel so uncomfortable… it’s nearing abusive, and is definitely suffocating and unhealthy.

I’m not even surprised that Vanellope was sent to the Disney universe. The number of Disney cameos now becomes unlimited! In addition, somehow, Disney inserts commentary on how controlling they are about intruders when the stormtroopers chase Vanellope. I’m not sure if this was on purpose but it makes me think of how people aren’t allowed to interfere with Disney or criticize them. But, then again, why would they portray this within their own film? I’m probably reading into this too much. 

Vanellope’s interaction with the Princesses is actually kind of brilliant. Disney makes fun of their own films in pointing out the random similarities between the Princesses and how absurd some of their backstories are. The staring at water thing was so funny. I never realized it but it’s so accurate. Also, in this scene, Disney has a low-effort attempt at righting past wrong by redressing princesses in what we would consider casual wear, essentially challenging what it means to be a Princess and how you don’t need a beautiful gown to be a princess. 

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People’s lack of interest in Ralph within 8 hours shows how superficial people are and how easy it is to oversaturate the Internet. And how mean people are on the Internet, which was probably the only time I sympathized with Ralph (his character has been painfully irritating so far).

Ultimately, Ralph’s “needy, clingy, self-destructive” behavior destroys the Internet. The clone Ralphs were TERRIFYING. I can’t believe this is a children’s/family film — that giant "evil" Ralph character would’ve given me nightmares as a child. 

In the scene where Ralph’s fighting his giant version, he’s ironically competing with himself for his friend. He realizes his own insecurities when he faces it directly (LITERALLY.) His big evil version doesn’t want to compete with other people for Vanellope’s friendship, and the desperation involves the willingness to cause harm (which is basically what Ralph did by releasing that virus.) Ralph can finally see what his problems are, and he gives himself a lesson on friendship. 

To be honest, the princesses rescuing Ralph at the end was so funny, (when they exclaimed that there was now a man who needed saving, I couldn’t stop laughing). Regardless, I’m glad Disney took the opportunity to fix its past mistakes by challenging the prince saves princess stereotype. It doesn’t erase the misogynistic portrayals of the past as the Princesses still seem self-deprecating in the way they were so excited to “finally” be able to save a man, but at least its progress? 

Reflection:

I barely remember anything from the first film, and I didn’t really like this second film all that much. Regardless, Disney incorporated quite a bit of social and commentary on a (kind of) moralistic cumulation, essentially telling the audience not to be clingy, over-dependent, and controlling in friendship. Being a friend also means supporting the other person’s dreams and happiness, and, from Vanellope’s standpoint, you don’t have to give up your friendships and those you treasure in order to attain your own happiness. 

There are so many more layers to Ralph’s character, for example, as Emily Yoshida’s article “Ralph Breaks the Internet - But Really, the Internet Breaks Ralph”, the author describes Ralph really well, in how he’s a “fundamentally gentle soul, but his sense of self is critically unstable without external validation.” His “self-annihilating need for the love of others” ultimately breaks the Internet, which in turn breaks him. As Yoshida describes it, “it’s absolutely perfect that he becomes a social-media star, and when his (literal) insecurity is exploited by a rogue virus… the metaphor comes full circle.” Disney highlights the frightening nature of the Internet, of social media, and how it brings out the worst in ourselves. Behind this simplistic message of friendship, there’s something more sinister in Disney’s portrayal of the Internet and people’s obsessions with it. 

As dark as the interpretations of the film can get, the movie itself was beautifully animated (and nothing less would be expected from a Disney film). This film stresses the importance of self-reflection and self-control. Maybe everyone, by taking a second to look at ourselves and reflect, can analyze our own flaws and insecurities and learn to overcome them, so that we can work on becoming better individuals and improve ourselves in the long scheme.