The long-awaited big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 children's book 'Where the Wild Things Are' finally gets it due in the hands of director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers. The book -- just nine sentences long and only 20 pages -- tells the story of rambunctious little Max who's sent to bed without dinner and is magically transported to a forest, where he finds a boat and sails to a place inhabited by giant, hairy, fearsome-looking but gentle beasts. The main challenge in making the film was how to flesh out of the story for modern moviegoers. The result has received positive-to-mixed reviews. Here's a sampling.Roger Ebert: "Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers have met the challenge of this little masterpiece head on, by including both a real little boy and the imaginary Wild Things in the same film. The film will play better for older audiences remembering a much-loved book from childhood, and not as well with kids who have been trained on slam-bam action animation."
USA Today: "Purist fans of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book will have to set aside expectations to fully embrace the film version. But they should embrace it. 'Where the Wild Things Are' is a fiercely innovative film with surprising texture and nuance. It captures the joy and exuberance of childhood without shying away from its very real pains and woes."
New York Times: "Max, played by the newcomer Max Records, is the pivotal character in this intensely original and haunting movie, though by far the most important figure here proves to be Mr. Jonze. Mr. Jonze's filmmaking exceeds anything he's done in either of his inventive previous features, 'Being John Malkovich' (1999) and 'Adaptation' (2002). With 'Where the Wild Things Are' he has made a work of art that stands up to its source and, in some instances, surpasses it."
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The Hollywood Reporter: "The film does surmount one of its two difficult challenges: Through puppetry and computer animation, the filmmaking teams have successfully put a world of childhood imagination on the screen. Where the film falters is Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers' adaptation, which fails to invest this world with strong emotions."
New York Post: "Some very good books were just never meant to be turned into movies. Sadly, you can now add Maurice Sendak's 1963 classic 'Where the Wild Things Are' to that list. The creatures are less Sendak's Wild Things than totally unscary Mild Things. They sound very much like a commune of kvetchy old hippies who argue endlessly among themselves while committing random acts of childish pique."
L.A. Times: "In the new film version of Sendak's classic, more -- admired director Spike Jonze, smart co-screenwriter Dave Eggers, top-flight actors including Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker, and a budget estimated at $80 million to $100 million -- has paradoxically become less: a precious, self-indulgent cinematic fable that not everyone is going to love."
Time Magazine: "The beauty of 'Where the Wild Things Are' is that for all its fantastical elements, it's a work of realism, an exploration of mood and emotion. Like Sendak's book, which on initial publication was considered too edgy and creepy by some critics and libraries, the movie is dark, but it is perhaps even more richly cathartic."
Variety: "Fleet of foot, emotionally attuned to its subject and instinctively faithful to its celebrated source, 'Where the Wild Things Are' earns a lot of points for its hand-crafted look and unhomogenized, dare-one-say organic rendering of unrestrained youthful imagination. But director Spike Jonze's sharp instincts and vibrant visual style can't quite compensate for the lack of narrative eventfulness that increasingly bogs down this bright-minded picture."
Entertainment Weekly: "Sendak's great gift to readers, old as well as young, is the seriousness with which he presents even the wildest mayhem, the deepest contradictions in human (and Wild Thing) behavior; the author empathizes with fantasists but has no time for cuteness. In his transcendent movie adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze not only respects the original text but also honors movie lovers with the same clarity of vision. This is one of the year's best."
Reader Comments (33)
jcampbell571 at 8:34AM on Oct 19th 2009
The movie sucked do not take your kids. They total screwed up a good book. It is a bunch of monster that need therapy. I totally wasted my money.
Ryan Atwood at 11:49PM on Oct 16th 2009
i could not agree more. i just got back from the movie and i feel like i am missing brain cells. the movie was the most random thing i have ever seen and if i was asked to watch it again i would simply walk away.
Nina at 12:09AM on Oct 17th 2009
This movie is disturbed, if you wanted to sit around and listen to a bunch of violent, paranoid, passive aggressive monsters with insecurity issues, go ahead. I had to leave, because I had my 2 kids with me and I couldn't take the negativity.
You go to see movies to escape crap like that.
Rob at 1:49AM on Oct 17th 2009
You are so right on!!!! I really wish I had known how dark this movie was going to be...Totally Sucked and I'm PISSED!
pat at 9:48PM on Oct 25th 2009
Just came back from seeing this movie. Total waste of money. Kept hoping it would get better but it didn't. Can't recommend this to anyone. Save your time and money for something else!
Chris at 11:56PM on Oct 16th 2009
I agree- the movie was terrible ! It should have been named " 100 reasons to put your kid on ADHD medication"! The little kids there did NOT like the movie!
Annette at 12:48PM on Oct 17th 2009
I loved the book and grew up making up stories about my adventures with the wild things on the island.
I cant beleive how they screwed up a perfectly great story line. How in the world did they forget the room growing into a jungle, that could have been a very impressive scene.
Why did they choose to create a dark mood instead of one full of wonder and adventure, as this is how I always interpretated the book.
Imaginative it was not, but it really could have been.
I cannot understand, why the movie industry wants us all to be dark and gloomy
Rob at 1:46AM on Oct 17th 2009
Parents Beware!!! This movie had very dark undertones and screamed of dysfunction. How did they turn the one book we all knew to be magical as kids into a dark and abusive movie. Is life really that bad for the majority? If not, then how did they think such a movie would appeal to kids and their parents? The people who made this movie must have had very sad childhoods and I will pray for them, but I won't give them any more money! Spread the word so that they can not gain financially from this. I made the mistake of taking my kid and having all of that (sugar honey ice tea) deposited on her little brain....Parents Beware!!!
Sabrina at 11:20AM on Oct 17th 2009
My 7 year-old daughter saw this with her nearly 30 year-old step-sister. Her comment to me in the car after I picked her up was, "Mommy. I didn't like that movie. It wasn't scary. It was just really unhappy. The boy kept getting hurt. I give it a 1 out of 10."
My daughter has always been able to comprehend mature subject matter; has always enjoyed complicated movie plots and complex characters. She is an emotionally mature being--there isn't much that is over her head. So, I was surprised to hear this "review" from her. I will probably see the movie myself and see what it's all about so I can discuss it with her. Perhaps it's for adults who enjoy watching characters with psychological and emotional issues, and like to contemplate the philosophy of such.
MaryAz at 4:40PM on Oct 17th 2009
I did not read the book, however loved the movie!This is an entertaining, yet deep reflection of the terrors that children go through when their families are struggeling. We can learn a lot from this movie. And should.
eunice torres at 8:14AM on Oct 19th 2009
You should read the book then cause if you liked it you must be on medication too ..
RAS at 4:24PM on Oct 17th 2009
I agree this was a terribly depressing movie. There was nothing happy about it. The movie made me feel horrible, and my kids did not like it. I used to love the book, now I don't even know if I will look at it in a long time. Who ever thought this was going to be a good movie for kids is demented and who ever created it has some serious issues.
Don't go and see it and don't rent it when it comes to DVD!
Jaque at 5:03PM on Oct 17th 2009
I agree with MaryAz! We saw this last night with our 9 year old grandson. In a nutshll, he enjoyed the characters and got the king part, and that if people get scared they want to eat each other - but they didn't. The deeper reflection was up to us.
If you appreciate movies with with real meaning and can get above "thrill me" mentality you'll find this is a genuine story about real emotions that real kids go through living with family challenges, all too often. If the adults watching this movie take the time to get this the children will be blessed.
The wild things characters are AMAZING!
The acting from all characters is award winning.
Watch....this is an oscar winner!
W. Reeves at 9:12PM on Oct 17th 2009
Big disappointment.
Eric at 10:10AM on Oct 18th 2009
I think the movie was pretty solid. It passes along the message that most adults don't want or fail to see! Our kids minds work in ways that most parents don't get or are to naive to believe. Our choices as parents have a long lasting effect on our kids and we need to consider them to be affective parents and role models . . . go see the film!
Joanna F. at 3:21PM on Oct 18th 2009
This was a brilliant evocation of childhood sadness and the joy and healing that can be found in imagination. Childhood is sometimes for many children a time of deep seated insecurities and fear. And it is also a time to learn the riches of one's own imagination. My guess is Max becomes the architect/artist he imagines himself to be with more compassion for others because he traveled to a darker side and recognized the need for love and forgiveness. Bravo Spike Jonze. Brilliant work
Kelly at 2:58PM on Oct 18th 2009
This movie was terrible. How could you possibly turn a great book into a bunch of screwed up characters. Very lacking in all but sadness and anger. And their point was what?????
Jennifer at 3:30PM on Oct 18th 2009
This movie was horrible! My 10 year old was bored to tears, my 8 year old was confused and my 6 year old was scared!!! Me . . . well, I had heavy eye lids -- fighting off the sleep. This movie was depressing and sad -- not for kids. My children love the book -- this movie does not do it justice. If you are considering going . . . save your money -- not worth the $$$.
Marianna at 3:17PM on Oct 18th 2009
This movie was probably the worst movie I have ever seen. I left the theatre speechless and totally confused. It made no sense at all and had no moral. I would NOT SEE THIS MOVIE IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF SEEING IT ALREADY. And to make matters worse, I paid to see it in an IMAX theatre....what a waste of money.
KC at 6:22PM on Oct 18th 2009
I think I was more excited to see this movie than my kids because I love the book. I was very disapponted! It was not what I had expected at all. I was extremely bored throughout the movie and the 1 1/2 hour time it was on felt much longer. The characters are depressing and not funny. Max is a brat and I couldn't understand why they left out one of the main parts of the book- Max being sent to bed without supper!
My kids did like it though. I wish we would have saved the $38 and waited to rent it on DVD.