Matt Nettheim/McClatchy Tribune
With monsters that crack jokes and feel sadness to a little boy who’s trapped between reality and his own imagination, “Where the Wild Things Are” brings a classic children’s book to life.
Spike Jonze, the man behind such eccentric films as “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation,” directed and co-wrote “Where the Wild Things Are,” based on the children’s book.
Converting a beloved picture book from 1963 with only 10 sentences into a feature-length film seems like an insurmountable task, but Jonze handles it seamlessly.
Full of idiosyncrasies and imagination, Max, played by 12-year-old Max Records, is a good but difficult kid.
Max is a lonely boy. With no father in his life, a sister who ignores him and a working, single mom, he spends most of his time wearing a worn-out wolf suit and residing in an alternate world of monsters. As a result, he’s slightly off in social situations. Case in point, he begins ordering a fence around when his sister tells him to play with his friends.
During an argument with his mother one night, Max resorts to his comfortable, savage nature and bites her hard. Frightened by the situation he runs away, taking off in a conveniently placed sailboat for a faraway island. This is where the wild things are.
Once Max escapes from his humdrum home, the film becomes a fantasy. No time or energy is spent explaining the monster’s origins, where they learned to speak or how Max was able to locate such a secluded locale.
After convincing the gullible monsters he is a king with powers from another land, Max feels right at home with his crown and scepter, issuing the decree to “let the wild rumpus start.”
The film is full of kooky humor and adorable dialogue. Interactions between Max and the monsters are almost sickeningly sweet as a favorite pastime is wishing each other good night while sleeping in one big pile.
Once convinced Max is a great king, Carol, the wannabe leader of the monsters innocently looks down at the boy and utters, “Will you keep out all of the sadness?”
Eerie undertones linger, though, suggesting that Max’s dream may soon become a nightmare.
His closest friend among the monsters, Carol, often seems on the verge of a breakdown as he attempts to keep the often at odds group intact. Likewise, the fun Max and his followers have often borderlines danger. Whether cuddling or in dirt clod fights, the difference in size between the boy and the giants inevitably becomes a threat.
The film offers a unique look at the monsters. Terrible eyes and terrible teeth describe the wild things of the book. Surprisingly, however, the monsters of the film have many human-like characteristics. Jealousy, loneliness and insecurity all impact the actions of the creatures.
In the end, Max decides his life is not to be spent with the wild things and sets sail for home. Though the adventure lasts only slightly more than an hour and a half, the imagination and above all the heart of “Where the Wild Things Are” leaves quite an impression.