Where the Wild Things Are, director Spike Jonze's (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) ambitious adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, has been referred to variously as "experimental" and "art-house" — and only occasionally in a derisive manner — by numerous movie critics and journalists. For all of their negative box-office implications, the labels do come with certain benefits, the most important of which is a little-known loophole in the filmmaking code that renders certain films largely exempt from standard rules of story structure to which more orthodox films are expected to adhere.
That is, they're expected to have a structure. Where the Wild Things Are is above such trifles. Sendak's source material, with its 10 lines of text, is largely devoid of any real storyline, so the task fell to Jonze and his co-writer, Dave Eggers, to manufacture one. Given essentially a blank slate with which to work, they used the opportunity to explore the id of a child reeling from the painful aftermath of divorce. And what a mind-bending journey it is.
Newcomer Max Records stars as Max, a rambunctious young boy with a taste for mischief and an overabundance of energy. It's a volatile combination if left unchecked, and it eventually erupts in disastrous fashion one evening when Max's exasperated, overworked mother (played by Catherine Keener) has the audacity to invite her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo, on screen for all of a nanosecond) over for dinner.
Confronted by the alarming sight of his mother sneaking a kiss with a man who clearly isn't his dad, Max acts out in hideous fashion, prompting a similarly hideous overreaction from his mortified mom. Stung by her harsh words, Max makes a break for it, running away to a wooded sanctuary on the bank of a river, where he climbs aboard an unattended sailboat and is transported to a strange and distant land.
It's there that he meets the titular Wild Things, a close-knit, if highly dysfunctional, group of furry, gargantuan beings with oversized heads and normal, unaltered human voices. There are seven in all: sensitive, temperamental Carol (James Gandolfini); amiable, level-headed Douglas (Chris Cooper); skeptical, smart-alecky Judith (Catherine O'Hara); patient, avuncular Ira (Forest Whitaker); meek, insecure Alexander (Paul Dano); tender, affectionate KW (Lauren Ambrose); and mysterious, intimidating Bull (Michael Berry Jr.).
And that's it. There's no villain to be found in Where the Wild Things Are. (At least not a tangible one, anyway. I suppose "society" or "fear" might be considered among Max's antagonists; then again, "fear" may also have been Gandolfini's character. I can't remember.)
Together, Max and his new companions play games, destroy trees, build forts and bicker — to what end, it's never exactly clear. As Max frolics about his imaginary world with his crew of overgrown H.R. Pufnstuf rejects, each of whom is meant to symbolize an emotion of some kind, it becomes increasingly apparent that there's no real point to the proceedings.
Which is why there's no resolution to Where the Wild Things Are, either. And shame on you for expecting one. If you want a neat and tidy resolution, go see Couples Retreat or some other "mainstream" release, philistine. This is Spike Jonze's playground, and if you dare subject him to rules or limits of any kind, he may just pick up his genius ball and go home.
The real brilliance of Where the Wild Things Are is how its director, aided by the extraordinary work of cinematographer Lance Acord and his production design team, is able to plug directly into the amygdalae of adults of a certain age and background, effectively disabling their capacities for critical thinking. It could be the greatest Jackass prank Jonze has ever pulled.
Where the Wild Things Are is not a movie for kids, and not because it's particularly violent or scary — indeed, it's downright tame compared to the last Harry Potter flick. Children, by definition, aren't nearly as susceptible to the film's naked appeals to nostalgia, and as parents' eyes well up while they watch it behind rose-colored lenses, their offspring will be texting "WTF?" to their similarly bored friends as the film meanders toward its disappointing conclusion.
Freud, on the other hand, would absolutely adore Where the Wild Things Are, particularly during its climactic sequence in which Max, frantically fleeing a rampaging Carol, literally leaps into KW's gooey womb, which presumably represents the comfort and safety of a mother's unconditional love. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, several years from now, the movie becomes a fixture at child psychologists' offices, serving as a sort of multimedia Rorschach test to help therapists better understand their young patients. But that's pretty much the extent of the film's utility.
Here's the real symbolism inherent in Where the Wild Things Are: Max symbolizes Jonze, while the mother represents the director's expectations for the audience. After Jonze runs off and blithely plays with our emotions for a few desultory hours, giving us only ambiguity tinged with melancholy in return, he expects us to reward him with a loving embrace and a hot bowl of soup.
It's all rather childish.
Hollywood.com rated this film 2 stars.
Network Reviews
Fun 
Posted by: betterthings | 7/13/2010 4:41:19 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
It was very entertaining
Overlooked 
Posted by: CINDERELANIGTMARE | 1/19/2010 1:28:33 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
After watching the Critics Choice Awards and seeing this movie in theaters multiple times, I think the award for the young actor or actress category was overlooked. The actor that played Max in this movie really connected with the audience, and I mean I connected with Max alot. This movie was about childhood, and who better to express the joys and trials of being a child then a child.
The direction in this movie was also overlooked because it was very creative and different then what people are looking for or expecting. Everything about this movie screamed childhood and it takes a real creative director to tap into the raw essence of childhood and make it relatable to everyone.
Even though this movie looked geared to children because it was based on the very popular children's book, I believe that in order to grasp the real raw aspect of the movie you have to be an adult looking back on the life lessons you learned as a child, wether it be comfortable or not and that's what made it so unique. This movie was brilliant and deserved alot more recognition and its a shame that the Critics did not give it more credit.
okay 
Posted by: jjnt1013 | 1/14/2010 4:47:02 AM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
it was a cute movie. it was hard for a 6 year old to sit through the entire thing so something wasnt right. but when your able to rent it i would. i definatly wouldnt buy it though
Good, not great, unknown target audience... 
Posted by: Victoria G | 1/10/2010 12:48:47 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
Never read the book, but as soon as I heard Spike Jonze was directing - I knew I would see it.
There were so many great things about this movie from my point of view - the acting on behalf of Max was great, and I was fairly surprised at his acting ability.
The camera was was typical very "Spike Jonze"-esque. Shaky at times, but added to the story as you felt like you were in the movie, running with the characters.
An overall nice message, but surprisingly long for a G-rated movie that I thought was targeted towards kids. There were a few slow parts and I couldn't imagine a child sitting through that. Another problem with little kids - several of them got scared and had to leave.
I'm not sure what kids will understand from this movie, but older adults will find this movie to be a drag, stretching out a simple plot to 90 minutes.
Wild Bore! 
Posted by: DRAGONCHAIN | 12/30/2009 11:34:43 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
Never read the books but the previews intersted me and I'm so glad that they didn't do CGI effects. About time we got back to puppetry and real effects. I give'em credit for that and the child actor was excellent. Was interesting at first but too long in the forest & not much going on but learn a valuable lesson in the end, i guess. Just got a little boring halfway thru :S
good 
Posted by: jacksk8trz | 12/9/2009 12:42:09 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
i wouldnt say that this is one of the best movies of the year, by no means, and it really isnt a kids movie either. but it does have a heart warming story and some really good graphics/costumes. the characters are how i remember them from the childrens book...
and it does make you think of what really goes on in some kids heads....
Confused much?! 
Posted by: SPHINXONE | 11/19/2009 6:20:04 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
My wife and I took our 9 year old daughter to see this movie and the whole time we were lost after he arrived on the island. It didn't make sence.
Too Sad and Too Contemporary! 
Posted by: CLEPUR | 11/18/2009 9:54:03 AM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
I think this movie missed the mark in adapting the wonderful theme of childlike imagination set by Maurice Sendak's timeless story. My 9 year old walked out of the theatre saddened. We had to go home, dust off our copy of the classic storybook and read it again to get lifted up!In the storybook, the main character Max is sent to his room, a safe haven where his imagination goes wild. In the movie, Max literally runs out of his home into the night where his imagination goes wild. A parent's worst nightmare and fodder for a few children's bad dreams detracts from the warm comfort of a child's ability to escape in his/her own mind...the classic theme of Sendak's storybook. Skip the movie and invest in timeless story for generations to come.
Where the Wild Things Are...and Divided Families Argue 
Posted by: IonFilm | 11/17/2009 4:40:19 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
Big, little king Max gets a great new look as he learns his place among the lands and creatures of his imagination in "Where the Wild Things Are". A tale for boys with inventive minds. But, also a heavy-hitting, mindful story for "kids" with families complicated by divorce. Be forewarned, this is not a simple ten line book, anymore. It is not a child having a little fun with some big, hairy monsters who are a bit frightening before he goes back to reality. This is a semi-powerful perspective on how a child's imagination deals with the frustrations and fears of feeling alone in a world of adults. However, if you can handle it, this is a delightful visual experience and a ponderous tale with bits of tenderhearted humor which you may find in need of a second viewing to fully grasp and understand.
Here is the short and long of the story(if I haven't already explained it). The short story: Max runs away from home and finds himself among strange, amazing, savage "friends" who give him time to play with them before Max decides he needs to go back to his daily life. The long story: Max has difficulties getting along with his divided family. We only see a few parts of this broken family before he runs from home one night in a fit of fear and frustration. His imagination takes him away in a dream to a place in the middle of nowhere where he meets a broken family of strange creatures. These creatures actually represent people in Max's life. By interacting with them, he works out the problems of his family in his own imaginative mind. We witness the impact of divorce, Mom and her new love interest, the sister that separates herself with friends who cannot be understood, the ignored little one and Dad who has a temper along with a new Douglas in his life. Yes, it's that complex(from a child's perspective). [If anyone can tell me who the dark, silent buffalo is or what he represents, please tell me. The same goes for Ira being good at making holes. Is there another hidden interpretation?]
The movie has a very 1970's-1980's feel to it. I pictured myself being Max as a child, having had similar feelings of "escapism", the need to act out to be noticed and telling stories.. I can see the "wild things" doing drug awareness commercials. But, I fear they would be promoting the use of drugs because of their lax and reckless behavior, at times. There is a certain hippy vibe to everything. Like sitting around a campfire while complaining about life and smoking pot. It's the kind of experience you enjoy having camping out at night and waking to the sunrise. You can feel the fresh air in your lungs as everyone rises and growls on the beach.
The visuals are amazing(as are the "metaphors"). The combination of big, costumed(I assume) characters and simply vast landscape with a few complex touches for housing is just as breath-taking as it appears in the trailers. Despite the "heaviness" of the story, I felt the child-like fever to run into the woods and have my own uninhibited experience. However, the extra money for the IMAX experience did not seem worth it, at all. 3D effects seem to play differently with animated films which can be molded on a computer. But, a live-action film with a few CG elements does not convey well in dimensions(I imagine) without 3D glasses. [It cost more--almost twice the usual matinee price--to see the IMAX version of this than it did to see the Real3D "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"(which was a dollar less and slightly more effective).] I thought it was "carpe diem" to see a movie about a Max on an IMAX screen. Perhaps, I was mistaken. [However, I WILL say the casting of Max Records as Max was a sort of divine wisdom or fate. He is quite the perfect fit.]
Before I give a big, savage roar, I'll give "Where the Wild Things Are"(surprisingly rated G at approximately 90 minutes long) three stars out of five(2.75 out of 4). As a kids' movie, it may be a bit much to digest and comprehend. This is definitely more suitable for adults. But, I think children in similar family situations between the ages of 8 and 14(before they are ready for high school rebellion) may be able to cope and learn from it. Maybe it's a story for fans of the old Frosted Mini Wheat commercials. Because, remember, it appeals to both the big kid and the little kid side of them.
--AP, free-lance movie critic
[Max! What's gotten into you?! You're out of control!]
No way this is real 
Posted by: cljakes6776 | 11/13/2009 8:10:40 PM
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
I took my godson to see this and he was ready to go as soon as the popcorn was gone. This movie isn't enough to hold a childs attention for a long time, I have seen better movies then this and the scenes are scary also. I didnt like this movie at all and wish I could get a refund.
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