Customer Reviews

Where the Wild Things Are

5 star:		(86)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(32)
1 star:		(104)

 

 

Directed by the wonderfully inventive Spike Jonze, WTWTA follows young Max as he runs away from home following an argument with his mother and finds solace in a world of his own. He sets sail and washes up on an island inhabited by furry beings who take him in and crown him as their new king- unfortunately they have eaten every other king they have ever had. The boys relationship with the wild things is loving but often strained at times. He finds in them what he found back at home- love, jealousy, rivalry, acceptance...
Let me say that this film looks stunning. The voice acting is brilliant, the writing and directing are sublime and the pace of the movie is measured, but perfectly so. I think the reason that people are slamming this movie is because they are approaching it a kids film, which it isn't. It is an adult film about being a kid, and how hard it could be and how we would often find comfort in make-believe.
In my opinion, this is one of the most affecting films I have seen in years. Complex in so many ways- I am sure that this movie will reveal itself more as you revisit it. Don't go in expecting a fast-paced kiddies adventure movie, but instead look at the previous work of the brilliant Spike Jonze to see how he has grown as a film-maker and yet lost nothing of what made him so great in the firt place. This is a grown-up, sad, sometimes unsettling look at childhood and imagination, and I for one absolutely loved it.
The blu-ray transfer is terrific also. The short film Higgedy Piggedy Pop which is included in the extras is wonderful, and I am looking forward to delving into some of the other extras included on this disc.

Perhaps I didn't read far enough in the other reviews...but it seemed pretty much like a bunch of adults discussing the deep psychological imagery, etc., but not how the movie makes a kid feel. A kid, I said, not an over-intellectualizing adult.

So I'm going to tell you how my twin, almost 7 year old, very well-behaved, socially well-liked, intelligent and yet, quite tenderhearted girls responded. I'm grateful that I watched it with them, I'll tell you that. I did have to comfort them a little because Max was having a pretty rough day for a little guy, and it made them feel very bad for him. You have to put up with quite a bit of grimness before you get to the fanciful part in this movie, and even that isn't ever really what I'd call stress-free...

One of my girls doesn't feel well today, so it doesn't surprise me that she chose to go to her room mid-way thru it and watch a Barbie movie. You don't feel well, and you prefer comforting things, I can understand that. The other stayed for the whole thing and when I asked her what she thought at the end, she said it was "okay." I did notice her tearing up when Max was floating away and he and the monsters were howling at each other across the water. That was a pretty nice, sentimental ending. Keep in mind, though, that just before that, on the beach, one of the monsters admitted that Max was the only king they ever had that they didn't EAT... and I think the implications of that are a little gothic, but I'm pretty sure my kids missed the significance of that little reference. Probably best.

There are those who claim that exposing children to "actual life-like stress" in a movie is good for them, instead of the perpetually sunny characters in say, a Disney movie. Well, you were all children once, and doubtlessly, you remember thinking that most things that were supposed to be "good for you", just weren't very pleasant? I know I do. I'm not sure either girl really enjoyed the movie, Which is why they wanted to watch a movie in the first place, to be entertained. It's a movie - not therapy, not medicine.

The fact is, real life is only too happy to shove hardship and ugliness and fear their direction, I don't need to spoon-feed it to them as entertainment. I don't think of childhood as a weakness or being too immature somehow; a happy child has a good foundation to grow into a strong adult. Childhood is a time to build up their immunity to negativity, fill up the tank of their self-esteem, and show them the sweet parts of life that we hope will become their goals as adults. I'm going to let mine enjoy childhood and innocence, because that is the stage they are supposed to be at right now, and I know adulthood and maturity will come with time. I won't block it, but I reserve the right to cushion it a little bit and let them digest it in smaller, more manageable pieces at a time.

Now, you might think that a boy would appreciate this movie a little more, perhaps...and you may be right. Max is "all boy" and them some, quite a handful. ADHD anyone? Clearly, Mom has a lot on her mind, being a single mom with at least two children, one appears to be a teenager, she's not doing well at work and also may be seeing a new man, which is guaranteed to cause issues with a boy Max's age. Max is a surprisingly sensitive boy at times, even a bit melancholic for his age and obviously has some aggression issues. The first part, overall, has a pervasive feeling of depression.

As others have mentioned, one difference in the movie vs. the book was that Max ran away and hid instead of having him go to the Wild Place from his bedroom, like the book. They could just have easily have done it the other way...but I understood the imagery of running away from what you think is how other people treat you, and discovering that you can't escape yourself or your problems by doing that, because it comes with you... Where ever you go, there you are.

The boy matures a bit during the movie, mostly because the monsters, for the most part, seem slightly less mature, emotionally, than he is. One of the best ways I've discovered as a teaching assistant to control children who misbehave is to give them enough responsibility to keep them too busy to continue with the undesirable habits, like having a person who always talks in line be in charge of watching to make sure nobody talks in line. Of course, the monsters are supposed to be aspects of himself that he is trying to control and integrate peacefully into himself as a whole person, but kids will watch it on the obvious level...and to them, the monsters aren't Max.

Is it a good movie? Yes, if you are an adult appreciating it for it's cinematic or psychological merits. If you are a kid... well, I work with third graders, 8 or 9 years old, and I think they'd be okay with it more than my girls who are only nearing 7 years old, and are in first grade. This falls in that gray area between PG and PG-13, I can only call it... PG-9? I do wish that with all the children's movies which have come out lately that have incorporated some really kind of adult themes, that there was some way of telling which ones to be more careful about. Notice, I didn't say, avoid, or censor...just be careful, take into account how your child may react. Some children may have a more sympathetic reaction than others. I guess it just comes down to my responsibility as a parent possibly being to watch the movie before I allow them to, just so I know what to look for. Until they're a few years older, I'll just have to do that.

I absolutely loved this movie. The book was one of my favorites growing up, and I read it to my kids. Would I show my kids (3 and 2) this movie? Nope, too old for them. Do I love it myself? Absolutely. It's more adult than the book, but I think captures the spirit of the book in a very real way. I absolutely love it.

There is no sex, some violence, no cursing except for "hell". However, it's refreshing and in it's own way very original. I never liked the book, but I'm gradually growing attached to this film. I don't have kids, however I have worked with children, and this is not a film I'd show in a classroom. It has an adult feel, and the overal presentation of an angry boy finding himself through these "things"(these characters are extensions of his anger, self doubt, ect). Adults and teenagers would like this film. Especially the "not sure what I am/where I belong" message that this movie caries. Also, it doesn't come across as the typical Holywood trash, which, some people will find hard to swallow. Instead, the over all flavor has an independant film taste to it...can't fully explain what I mean. Anyway, thanks for reading.

I've always known the simple, strange yet touching book this movie was based upon, and I also knew the adaption was somewhat poorly received here on Amazon. But I was still curious to see how the director translated the critically acclaimed book into a live-action movie, so I went ahead and rented it.

And really, as I watched, I realized all the negative criticism it got was wrong. I was actually fairly pleased by the movie, and genuinely like it; but there are things that... well, let me put it like this: I won't bet buying this movie.

You probably already know the basic plot and such, so I'll just get right to my point. As the director said, it is truly not a movie created for children, it's about childhood, so it's certainly not playful and light like you might expect. The anger of the main character, Max, hurts all those around him and even worse, himself. This is an interesting idea to pin a story upon: anger in siblings is part of my life, as my younger brother is an absolute monster when he wants to be. You could say I connected to the movie in that way.

But it startled me by how dark it was. The darkness was only slightly subtle, and grew even more with the plot. As soon as we run with Max into the island and see all the large, odd-looking monsters, you get this feeling. At first, the monsters are friendly enough, albeit violent hints towards their muddled hearts. But the whole time, you get a creepy gut-feeling; the whole movie is strange, and not beautiful strange like some movies. No, it was an uncomfortable strange, and all the monsters just made that uncomfortable, weird feeling grow.

Their dark, corrupt personalities shine towards the end of the movie, when Max's reign as their "king" becomes broken and dangerous. Yes, a monster's arm gets ripped off, and it's less brutal than you think, but shocking and a little frightening all the same, no matter how old you are. So yeah, that's just one of the things that pretty much makes this an adult movie, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's just that it makes it all kinda confusing; I mean, it certainly looks like a kid's movie, what with the big, furry creatures and a kid in the starring role.

But despite the startling darkness, there's nothing I can criticize. The plot-line is pretty beautiful and crisp, putting aside my aforementioned thoughts. There's magic within the movie, and some crazy things like a huge, walking dog on the desert. But I think the over-all message is what counts, and makes this movie a strange beauty: things won't last forever, so cherish them while you have them. The sun is one topic used to paint this message, and I saw it represented in the anger between Max and his mother, which fades when he realizes how much he loves her.

I can't say the acting was bad. The CG/puppetry (those must have been some big puppets or suits, whatever they used) in the movie is perfectly fine. They got lucky on this movie, because since they're creatures nobody's seen, they don't have to be perfect CG like dragons in the Harry franchise. So they can look like puppets sometimes, and you accept it as the strange magic of the island. The voices were crisp and sounded a little too normal to come from huge, strange creatures' mouths, but whatever. And their howling that matches any dog's howl was also weird... but acceptable.

I think the little star of the whole film held up his part just fine. He brought a struggling, lonely character across the screen that I rather hated at the beginning (the first scene between the dog and boy with a fork startled me; after all, if he had stabbed the dog... well, let's just say this review would have never been made) became a mature young man that I understood. I thought his character matured a little too much for a boy so wild at the beginning, but hey, it's something I can overlook.

So it was a fine movie. Not four-star... certainly not five star... but three star. In the middle. Worth one or two watches; after all, it's better than wasting time calling it stupid.

Let's get one thing out of the way: This is not a film that will have your children jumping for joy. Nor is it the book; it's an ADAPTATION of the book, one directed at adults. It's deep and haunting, at times downright dark. Max is an almost disturbed child; he runs away after biting his mother, finds himself on an island of monsters, and automatically feels at home. Not exactly your normal child.

Spike Jonze has crafted an elegant film that, when it isn't visually stunning, is emotionally direct. Max Records, as Max, does an exquisite job. The voice cast actually does voice acting (so rare these days); led by James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper, Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara, and Lauren Ambrose, they will amaze. Catherine Keener is grossly underused, although her role is necessarily small; the same goes for Mark Ruffalo, who has maybe half a line. The script, by author and occasional screenwriter Dave Eggers, hits all the right notes; yet it is the performances (physical and vocal) and the lifelike effects that will draw in viewers and hold them.

This isn't a film for everyone; anyone looking for a simple good time had best move on. Jonze's WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is a true film--deep, emotional, lingering. It's at times enjoyable, at others uncomfortable. Every minute, though, is a prime example of stellar filmmaking.

What they should tell you is this film is worthy! I have always used the movie Twelve O'clock High, with Gregory Peck, to teach leadership. It is an accentual part of the program as it takes in all aspects of what it takes to lead. Where the Wild Things Are illustrates social interactions in family and with society. If I taught such a class this movie would always be shown. You may see yourself and realize how much one can create the problems we have to deal with or how a simple viewpoint changes your own life. This is not for kids, that is kids who can't grasp social interaction, but it is for the thinking and those who wish to view themselves from a distance. This is not a feel good movie so beware before you buy. It is not a feel bad movie either. This, however, should be a classic in all social studies. I highly recommend this film as a life awakening experience. Congratulations to those brave enough to make it.

I really enjoyed this book as a child, and the cartoon adaptation that had "The Night Kitchen" and several other short stories as well. That being said, I did not particularly enjoy this version.

Max, having angered his mother and also being up to no good all day, runs away from home and finds a sailboat that brings him to a different land. Here in this land, he is made King of the things and at first all is happy. One of the things, Carol, is eerily similar in attitude to Max. He is full of rage and doesn't deal with his anger very well.

After a fort is made, and the object of Carol's affections KW shows up with some new friends, Carol goes into a rage and the things start fighting. Realizing that everything is not as wonderful as it seems to be King, Max begins to lose his enchantment over the island.

This film really deviated from the book. In fact, the character of Max kind of scared me. As my fiance put it, he seems like a serial killer in the making. A fair description? Maybe not, but the kid has some real issues in this film. It also deviates from the book in the fact that originally, Max is just sent to his room where he dreams up all this stuff, he doesn't run away.

As far as kids watching this it has the potential to scare younger children. Lets face it, monsters are scary at that age. There is a lot of anger and violence and I don't see any lessons in how to control that or overcome it. And Max is allowed to be an absolute terror with no repercussions. In all it seems that maybe this film should actually be for an older audience for artistic quality. Most children watching this aren't going to realize its showing that its ok for them to have ferocious feelings, its just going to show them a kid who's being a terror and gets away with it. Its for the adults to look back and understand that sometimes this is how life goes, children don't usually have the social maturity to understand these life lessons without experience.

To be honest I've seen it said that if you don't enjoy this film you don't remember what to be a kid was like. I was Max at one time, a loner no one played with, separated family, and picked on a great deal. This movie does not remind me of my childhood at all and I'm not that far away from being a kid I don't remember what it was like. I honestly hope that few childhoods are filled with such rage as Max's; even if he does "grow" in the movie.

The film was well made though with excellent graphics. The monster costumes (computer animation?) were incredible and very realistic. I also liked the area where the movie was filmed, it was very scenic. I thought especially, that the scene with Max and Carol walking through the sand dunes was touching and beautiful. I also enjoyed the structure of the fort and Carol's little world. It made me want to create twig mountains of my own.

The music in this film was kind of trippy. Lots of weird voices and a pleasant enough tune. I can't decide whether I liked it or not. If anything, it was a bit unsettling.

Overall I probably won't watch this movie again. I'll stick to the book. While it had beautiful graphics the movie kind of dragged for me and the portrayal of some of my beloved characters was a bit off putting. If you haven't read the book though, I'm sure it can be enjoyed greatly.

I watched this with my 7- and 2-yr-old sons. They love the book. The movie was artistically filmed and the 'wild things' were well done, but the plot/lines where not for them. The deeper psychological interactions were above them, and both were bored within the first 20 minutes. We turned it off halfway through. Unlike other new movies I've brought home, they didn't ask to watch it a second time. I titled my review as 'not interesting for younger children' but honestly beyond the appreciation for the filming, the movie didn't interest me either.

If you took your kids to see this and though or have heard from other parents that this movie is inappropriate for children, then go ahead and continue to make movies like G-Force and Alvin and the Chimpmonks top grossing movies, because that's what you're looking for. You're not looking for a movie tailor made to make you actually have to discuss with your kids what they saw. You obviously are looking for giant commercials to flash in front of your children that will sell them toys and music so they are distracted long enough for you to have some "peace and quiet". I mean, god forbid you would have to actually TALK to your children about what they watch and what it means or what lessons the main character learned and what deep seeded actual EMOTIONS your kids go through every day. Or ask your children if they have ever had to imagine they were somewhere else to make sense of the incomprehensible feelings they have and don't understand.

This is the most realistic interpretation of what REAL kids feel and think since, well forever. And if you think the subjects, actions, and feelings are unrealistic to how kids all over feel today, then seriously start being a parent and actually talk to your kids.