Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's story, in which Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world -- a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler.
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It is a special movie, with an artistic take on things that should be encouraged in today's cinema. A little long, yes, and not for little kids, but a very good film that seeks to go beyond a simple presentation of the story line and actually explores the inner workings of its characters, and in a sense, of all of us.
I'll make this short, which Spike Jonez didn't: This movie dragggs on in many points. The charaters are alternately baffeling, witless, uncharming and unsymphatetic. The music score (if you can call it that) and camera work are about as entertaining as nails on a blackboard. And oh yes, this movie shows an out of control child who acts out violently towards his mother, runs away from home, and gets rewarded with some "grand" adventure. That's just a great storyline to be peddeling to kids. Way to go Spike. So, if you have a kid, I strongly adivise you NOT to take them to see this auful movie.
This is sometimes advertised for adults? Well, not the thoughtful ones; after all, it is a family living set of lessons for children of ten perhaps up to twelve. Yes, the costumes are great, and the acting is probably okay. But the content, including the too-obvious emotional manipulation, is well below a normal adult level. Take your ten year olds, leave them at the movie, and do something useful and stimulating such as read the Washington Post or the New York Times.
My son loved the books and interactive DVDs, so when the movie came out, I felt obliged to take him. I wish I hadn't. The hero is a maladjusted, fatherless pathological liar. The Wild Things are passive aggressive nitwits. I wondered what my son should take away from the movie and decided there was nothing worth taking away. Neither the boy nor the Wild Things are sympathic figures. The only sympathic figure is the boy's mom, from whom he runs away to be with the Wild Things. Her pain is never explored and, as a parent, I couldn't help but wonder what she was going through as her son spent days, weeks, months away from her. As a family movie, it was truly wretched, and plays like a William Golding novel.
I loved this movie and plan to go see it again, as do the two kids who came with me. It is a deeply moving look at a child growing up....and grappling with his feelings. It was funny, sad (quite sad), and exhilarating and the characters were complexly drawn. Max, the main character, comes to focus less on himself and more on others. Those who have complained that there is "no story" are wrong....it's just that it is subtle. And kids get it, and will talk about it for days afterwards. It's respectful, in the end towards families and towards mothers especially and it acknowledges realistically all of the confusing and sometimes unpleasant things that kids feel. The monsters are great, and it was a magical movie.
If you are planning on taking your kids, save your cash and wait for it to come out on DVD. The movie was slow, causing children in the audience to fidget and talk to their friends and/or parents. It is a movie designed for analytical minded adults and is definitely NOT a children's movie.
http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/10/16/where_the_wild_things_are_takes_sendaks_story_on_a_voyage_to_the_end_of_childhood/
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