Where the Wild Things Are Movie Review

Where The Wild Things Are is a wonderful movie, lovingly crafted, with an amazing blend of technical feats and human performances, that I wish I loved more. As it stands, I really like it and admire it just as a friend. But I really want to love it more, and I'm hoping that a few days time away from the film gets me truly loving it. I certainly have no qualms in recommending it to those even remotely curious about the film, as well as die hard fans of the 26 page children's book it's based on.

If you're not familiar with the book, it's originally a story about a young man, named Max, who acts up like a brat and gets sent to his room without dinner. Max, adorned in a costume that makes him look like a wolf, then leaves his room and sails off to a faraway land, populated by Wild Things. Together, they dance and sing and act, well, wild. then Max learns a lesson and heads back to the real world. (Oh, Spoiler).

The movie pretty much tells the same exact story. Max is played by Max Records, which is convenient for directing him, as he plays a ten year old wild child very well. He also plays it like a child, not like an actor child, which adds to the flavor of the film. Max is a normal kid, and right off the bat, you get to see him as a wild monster in action. He even makes the opening credits his own.

Max lives with his sister and his mom. There is a little bit of evidence to imply that Max's father lives elsewhere. One night, when mom (Catherine Keener, doing a great job with little screen time) has a new boyfriend over (Mark Ruffalo of all people!) Max acts out and bites Mom. Terrified, he runs off into the woods, and thus begins his journey to the land of the Wild Things.

The Wild Things are sights to behold. Giants of design, with beautifully expressive faces (a seamless blend of performance and animation), the Wild Things are what makes the movie. They are frightening at first, then lovable, while still remaining a bit dangerous. Max declares himself their king, and since this brings happiness to the manic depressive wild thing Carol (voiced by Tony Soprano, of all people), all the other wild things fall in line. They then celebrate in wild fashion. Eventually, the movie follows the story of the book, and Max learns a lesson about family.

There's so much this movie gets right. It perfectly captures childhood. There were moments that made me feel like I was ten years old again, building forts and imagining great creatures abound. The WIld Things are fantastic creatures that I believed were real, feeling, sentient beings. (Kudos to the great voice casting). The level of detail in certain scenes is pitch perfect, particularly the grand model scene, and the building of the fort. I loved the look of this film. Spike Jonze did a great job, and you can tell that his heart and soul is in every frame, while Max (not-so) subtly is the stand in for the auteur.

Yet, I'm still not in love with it completely. I know people who absolutely adore this movie, and I can understand where they are coming from. For me, it's not a matter of crushed expectations. I love the book as a child and as an adult, but I'm not devastated by the choices needed to make this an actual feature length film. And there's nothing wrong at all with any aspect of the production. Actors are grand, production design is spot-on, fx are at the top of their game. (Although the music, by Karen O. from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, feels a bit forced upon some of the scenes. Just sayin...). In a strange way, I liken it to Benjamin Button, another touching and technically amazing film that just passed me by. Although I felt more warmth and joy from this film.

There's love and craft involved all around, but I couldn't connect and transcend as much as I wanted to believe the film could make me do. Maybe this means I have high expectations based upon years of hype and an undying devotion to a source material of nostalgia now being co-opted by corporate interests. But I like to think it's because the movie's message came to fruition, and I'm finally growing up.

(But I did really love the part where they made the fort, so I can't be grownsed up just yet).
Click Here to Contribute your Own Review.