How do you make a full-length film out of a book that’s only 10 sentences long? This is just one of the many questions that initially surrounded Where the Wild Things Are. For the millions of people who grew up reading Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book there was plenty of skepticism that the film could be done right. After an electrifying trailer showed the world that making the land of the Wild Things real was possible, expectations shot off the charts. This pre-release hype greatly contributed to the undoing of this charming and captivating film.Like nearly everyone else leaving the theater, I found myself puzzled by Where the Wild Things Are. Director Spike Jonze absolutely delivers the goods when it comes to the world of Max and his monstrous friends but he catches us all off guard with his in-between-the-lines details. Much of the film’s mood and tone were not what I was expecting at all. Just about everyone who sees this film will probably tell you the same thing.
Max is a lonely little boy. His single mother works hard to provide for Max and his sister but Max’s wild imagination leaves him longing for attention. His antics escalate until his mother finally snaps at him. Terrified, Max runs away and, after discovering a small boat in a pond, sets sail for parts unknown. He comes across an island inhabited by intimidating creatures. At first the creatures want to eat the intruder but Max tells them he is a great king and will bring harmony to their land. The Wild Things, longing for stability and leadership embrace Max as their new leader.
The Wild Things themselves are fantastically created. Rather than using entirely CGI creations, Jonze and his team of filmmakers used Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop to create full-scale costumes to bring these beings to life. Minimal CGI is used to add realism to the creatures’ faces, allowing them to look and interact like real beings. Jonze’s dedication to this aspect of the production is what allows the film to evoke the magic of Sendak’s story. This is how the Wild Things needed to be brought to life. Anything less would have been unforgivable.
As the wild rumpus carries on, Max finds himself both fascinated with each of the Wild Things and bogged down by their many needs and desires. Instead of just fun-loving beasts living easy-going lives, the Wild Things struggle with insecurity, jealousy and fear just like Max. As their king, it’s Max’s job to assure them that things are alright and keep them as happy as possible. Max is unable to walk the tightrope though and ends up favoring some of the Wild Things more than others and is unable to make up for his shortcomings. Realizing that his relationship with the Wild Things has become an almost mirror image of his relationship with his mother, Max understands that he’s not mature enough to try and play the parent and leaves for home.
This is all odd stuff for what is billed as a ‘children’s movie.’ There are no perfect beings in this world. Instead of fluffy, happy creatures, the Wild Things are every bit as human as the rest of us. This aspect of the Wild Things isn’t found in the book, leaving many viewers to look this development as a bad thing. I suggest just the opposite- the decision to make the Wild Things round characters makes the movie worth seeing. Max is not the only one afforded the opportunity to grow in this film and there is a lesson that growth has to be fostered by someone willing and able to do it. The subtle message here that just because someone is willing to take on such a task does not mean they are able to.
Many will complain that Where the Wild Things Are is too dark, complex and depressing for children. I have to wonder if this movie was even made for children at all. Jonze stated in an interview that this was a movie about childhood, not a children’s movie and I wholeheartedly agree. Children these days may still read and love Sendak’s book but this film was made for the millions of adults who grew up with it. Jonze gives us a chance to look back at childhood and acknowledge that it wasn’t all happy memories. In many ways, this film celebrates the importance of parenting. If nothing else, we should all come away from this film feeling grateful toward our parents (or whoever raised us) for doing their best for us.
Newcomer Max Records is terrific as Max and not just because he bears the same name. When he puts on the wolf costume, it is never a question that Records is Max, not an actor playing him. He also does a fantastic job of interacting with the puppeteers inhabiting the Wild Things’ costumes. Without the voice actors delivering their lines, Records does a wonderful job keeping the illusion alive and never lets on that he’s not really interacting with these creatures.
There are only a few times where the visual effects fail to dazzle the eyes but that’s okay. The fact that the world of the Wild Things is brought to life like it is makes up for just about any shortcomings you can find. The sets and locations are visually stunning and perfectly realized. Spike Jonze delivers a world that looks and feels like a real place, enveloping us in wonder.
Where the Wild Things Are is not quite what anyone was expecting. Then again, what exactly is to be expected of a full-length adaptation of a 10-sentence book? What we’re given is an emotionally honest look at childhood that, if you think about it, ought to make us feel a little uncomfortable. Welcome to the deconstruction of the myth of childhood. Your first reaction may be to reject this film but, given a mature mind and enough post-film thinking, you’ll be able to appreciate it for what it is and then some.
RATING: 3.75 out of 5
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