Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are
By Megan Carroll
Contemporary director Spike Jonze collaborates with renowned author Maurice Sendak to bring to life one of the most beloved books of all time to the big screen in Where the Wilds Things Are. A classic story about childhood and the places children go to try and figure out how the world works.
The film tells the story of Max, a sensitive and boisterous boy who feels left out and misunderstood by his family. He is highly creative and intelligent, which is why it is no surprise that Max finds himself on an island where the “wilds things are”. We are quickly introduced to the mysterious and strange monsters that inhabit this island and find that they are not really monsters but more like you and I – sensitive and boisterous. The monsters are seeking a leader and Max is frantically seeking a world that he fits into and understands, so being their King is a remedy with which both are satisfied. When Max dons the crown, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy, but he soon finds out that promising and delivering on those promises are two different things.
I felt I should have revisited the book before I went to see this film because I found myself overwhelmed with the depth of Max’s sorrow and loneliness. I know that Jonze took some liberties with the plot with Sendak’s endorsement, but it is funny how, as children, we see things as being adventurous, exciting and kind of scary (which is how I remember the book) versus how we view things as adults.
The film brought a whole new light to what the book was actually trying to tell me as a child. The passage from First Corinthians never rang more true in my mind as I watched this film: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” I found myself constantly fighting my inner child to see this film through my imagination instead of my logical adult mind. If you don’t allow your imagination to take over you will be unable to fully enjoy this film and miss its breathtaking beauty, groundbreaking filmmaking and stunning storytelling.
Jonze and Sendak bring to life Max’s story with such intensity and realism that I found myself inundated at the films depth of character and emotion. Visually, the film is muted, mostly shades of brown and gray, but throughout the entire film you’re asking, “how did they do that!?” Jonze’s blend of people in costumes, puppetry and CGI is genius, totally believable! Not one part of this film feels like a special effect. This mastery of film creates the whole picture for us; an incredible story in an incredible place.
Where the Wilds Things Are is an intelligently made, creative masterpiece that should be seen and enjoyed by all. The film reminds us of childhood; a time of freedom long forgotten, but maybe a time we should visit more often.
