When the nostalgia and enchantment is pushed aside, the adult themes that pervade the animated musicals of Disney films during the late 1980’s and into the 90’s are viewed now as superficial and anachronistic. They were cheery and fun, yes, but there is much to dislike from a progressive, moralistic perspective now.

Disney has taken quite a turn in the last decade, and their most recent animated family film, Wreck-It Ralph has the most powerful and positive meaning yet, and a worthy story to go with.

Our hero is a bad guy in Wreck-It Ralph, or just Ralph, a bulky goofball of a video game character, dutifully doing his job in his game, day after day, even if it accomplishes nothing, and draws him the scorn of many others. Like in Toy Story, Disney has created a colourful world and cast of quirky characters that comes to life when the humans are away.

In the quiet of a closed arcade, the players throughout every game socialize and then themselves retire, getting up early to do their job just as everyone else. Ralph’s got a problem, however, one not too dissimilar from most people: he hates his job.

Well, he doesn’t exactly hate it. He is just tired from being ostracized for doing it and not really getting any recognition or respect; he does it well, it’s just no one is happy. Voiced by the endearing John C. Reilly, Ralph is the video game bad guy to Fix-It Felix Jr. (another perfect piece of casting: Jack McBrayer of 30 Rock fame) , the game’s true hero.

What quickly transpires is Ralph’s logical acting out, his desire to do something important and significant, and fast. He substitutes the superficial for the substantial, leaving his game to opt in a violent sci-fi first person shooter campaign, and later ending up in a candy-infused racing game akin to Mario Kart.

Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman also voice characters and find ways to be delightfully charming as opposed to aggressively annoying, which is more or less what they’re characters often do. Lynch is the blonde bombshell who plays the commander of the war game, loud and strong, and also with a hysterically dark back story.

Silverman meanwhile, plays the precocious and rambunctious Vanellope, one of the many dulcetly-named racers from the game Sugar Rush. She and Ralph begrudgingly becomes friends—not sure who exactly is more disliking of the other, but it’s quite humourous—and the two set out to accomplish their own selfish missions, using one another. At least, initially.

Both female characters are strong, defiant, and guileful, stronger than both the male character who breaks things, and the other that fixes them. All four have strengths and weaknesses, and all four are layered, as is the often surprising and always smart story. (Fart jokes can be smart, right?)

There is a slew of subtle gags and references for the more seasoned of movie goers and videogamers. Pay attention to game central, the Union Station of video-game character transportation, where some familiar figures wander on by (the Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter games make some noteworthy appearances). The world of Sugar Rush too, is filled with enough detail and well, eye candy, to satisfy the hungriest of viewers.

More surprising than most animated family films, and warming of the heart, the funny and delectable Wreck-It Ralph keeps a simple, earnest message at its chewy centre, surrounded by layers and layers of sweet, story-telling goodness, for all ages and all times.

[star v=4]