---
title: "Wreck-It Ralph: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/wreck-it-ralph/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/wreck-it-ralph"
critics_score: 68
critics_reviews: 17
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Wreck-It Ralph (2012): what the critics said

Critics' score 68 from 17 reviews: 11 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative.

Most critics like Wreck-It Ralph, and the praise gathers around the same two things: the premise, in which arcade characters live full lives behind the screen, and the voice cast, with John C. Reilly’s Ralph and Sarah Silverman named again and again. The mix of animation styles across the different game worlds is admired almost everywhere, as are the 8-bit in-jokes and cameos, which several reviews say land for parents as much as children.

The reservations cluster in the second half. Several critics say the film leaves its best idea behind once it settles in the sugary Sugar Rush world, and that the closing race and chase run long. The spread is wide: a minority find the nostalgia exhausting and the story predictable, and The Guardian and Little White Lies go further, the first calling it a meticulous oddity that never comes alive, the second a cynical film that reduces its premise to a lesson about accepting one’s lot.

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 October 2012. 

The review commends the film's brilliant concept, gorgeous execution, nostalgic appeal to multiple generations, and strong voice cast that delivers genuine emotion alongside inventive game-world homages.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/wreck-it-ralph-1117948636/)

## The New York Times — A.O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 November 2012. 

The review celebrates the film's blend of nostalgia for 1980s arcade games with fresh storytelling and strong voice performances, calling it an ingenious and fun Disney animation that overcomes initial cynicism.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/movies/wreck-it-ralph-with-john-c-reilly-and-sarah-silverman.html)

## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2012. 

The critic highlights the film's clever subversion of video game tropes, its retro-meets-modern visual style, and the heartfelt performances that give the story emotional depth alongside its humor and action.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-nov-01-la-et-mn-wreck-it-ralph-review-20121102-story.html)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2012. Festival review. 

A nostalgic affection for vintage gaming and an openhearted family-friendly story of self-acceptance and friendship are skillfully interwoven in this very fun and engaging adventure. The standout concept and blend of animation styles are highlighted as chief selling points.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/wreck-it-ralph/5048272.article)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 October 2012. 

The critic praises the film's creative premise of video game characters coming to life and its inventive art design across different game worlds, while noting that the story builds to an overly long race and chase sequence.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wreck-it-ralph-2012)

## Empire — Simon Crook

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2011. 

The film is a videogame itself, full of in-jokes, cameos and 8-bit affection, with a lovable lead in John C. Reilly's Ralph. It dips into formula in the middle but recharges with inventive action and humour for a strong finish.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wreck-ralph-review/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Justin Lowe

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 October 2012. 

The film is an entertaining homage to video-game culture wrapped in an adventurous road movie with a strong voice cast and diverse animation styles. It casts a wide net for family audiences through its mix of retro references and character-driven story.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wreck-ralph-film-review-382997/)

## Vulture — David Edelstein

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 2 November 2012. 

The premise is clever and the mash-up of video-game worlds is visually engaging with a likable cast, but the story is mostly predictable and becomes tedious after a while. Director Rich Moore effectively mimics video-game pacing and style.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/11/movie-review-wreck-it-ralph.html)

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating 3/5. 

A mixed bag of frantic action, humorous antics and blunted satire; the nostalgic tribute to retro games is rather exhausting and flags on the home stretch, though kids will enjoy its colourfully cute sense of fun.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ejy122/wreckit-ralph/)

## Time Out — Guy Lodge

Rating 3/5. 5 February 2013. 

The film is seen as a fluorescent funride through an arcade universe that bludgeons with cleverness and nostalgia but lacks charm and human feeling. The zigzagging between artificial environments becomes exhausting despite the dazzling spectacle.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/wreck-it-ralph)

## Slant Magazine — John Semley

Rating 2/4. 29 October 2012. 

The film leans too heavily on licensing gags and pop-culture references that feel pandering and fail to save it from being a rote kiddie message movie. While some animation touches and voice work are effective, the overall execution is uneven and overly reliant on brand-name winks.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/wreck-it-ralph/)

## Little White Lies — Chris Blohm

Rating 3/2/2. 7 February 2013. 

The critic finds the film confusing and cynical, failing to deliver on its scintillating premise by reducing the core story to a depressing morality tale about accepting one's lot. Some decent gags and gaming references are noted, but overall it is dismissed as B-grade Disney.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/wreck-it-ralph/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2013. 

The critic finds the film a meticulously rendered but bafflingly praised oddity that never quite comes alive. It is compared unfavorably to Monsters Inc and criticized for its nostalgic premise about arcade games.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/feb/07/wreck-it-ralph-review)

## /Film — Germain Lussier

Rating 8/10. 30 October 2012. 

The critic calls it one of the best video game movies ever made and the best animated Disney film of the year. They single out the clever video-game world conceit, inventive gags, and emotional core for praise, while noting minor pacing issues in the first third.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/523366/wreck-it-ralph-review-one-of-the-best-video-game-movies-of-all-time/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2012. 

The critic finds the Disney animated film a sweet and often hilarious adventure that successfully brings videogame characters to life in a way that engages viewers. Voice performances, especially by John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman, and the eye-popping game-inspired worlds are singled out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/wreck-it-ralph-review-arcade-generation-roger-rabbit-thats-worth-every-quarter-62841/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B-. 1 November 2012. 

The critic finds the film takes its best quality—living in a video game world—and leaves it behind for a forgettable candy land, but there's enough humor and sweetness to make it worth seeing, though it lacks replay value. They praise the charming first act with video-game Easter eggs and nods but complain that the Sugar Rush section shifts focus away from gaming references.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/wreck-it-ralph-review/)

## Den of Geek — Simon Brew

Rating 4 out of 5. 8 February 2013. 

The critic praises the film for its strong story about outsiders fitting in, beyond just the video game elements, with standout voice performances especially from Sarah Silverman, and effective integration of gaming culture. They note it's visually striking and consistently entertaining, though it slows in the Sugar Rush world.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/wreck-it-ralph-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/wreck-it-ralph.md