A Review of "Where The Wild Things Are"

“Where the Wild Things Are” is the film adaptation by Spike Jonze and David Eggers of the childhood book by Maurice Sendak. The original book is about a young boy named Max who, after making mischief in his home, is sent to his room by his mother without dinner. Max then, through his wild imagination, sails to an island where the “wild things” live.

The film, while having differences from the book, stays true to the plot of the book. Jonze’s approach appears to be darker and more emotional. In the film, each of the seven wild things who Max encounters appears to be an embodiment of one of his emotions. Carol, one of the wild things voiced by James Gandolfini, yearns for the attention and affection of KW, another wild thing voiced by Lauren Ambrose. Similarly, Max yearns for the attention and affection of his mother Connie, played by Catherine Keener.

The book’s classic status is due mostly to its atypical exploration of a child’s anger. At the time of its release, the book was highly controversial in some circles. Essentially, Max behaves badly and finds asylum in his imagination. He acts out. He is punished. He escapes. He comes back. Despite the initial controversy, Where the Wild Things Are is a simple take on a child’s anger.

The wild things in the book, however, lacked characterization. This is where Jonze and Eggers took most of their liberties. Complex relationships were developed between the various wild things. They were given genders and voices. Each became an embodiment of a different emotion. This, perhaps, is beyond a child’s comprehension. The film was heavily marketed as more of a film for adults than it was for kids. Of course, this film comes from the director of “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation,” two highly idiosyncratic films.

Yet, there is something in this film for everyone. Whether it’s moral or purely visual, children today will take from it what they will. The film has stunning cinematography and it is simply beautiful. Since the wild things were actual suits developed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the main digital enhancements were their facial expressions. Adults will probably understand the movie on a deeper level. Perhaps they’ll relate more to the wild things rather than Max as a metaphor for their own childhood. All wild things aside, Jonze’s film is a fantastic adaptation of a book that most hold dear.