[Every once in a while when I see a movie or read a book that I really like or really hate, I'll tell you about it. This is just such a time]
Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of a young boy, Max, as he matures in a confusing and often hateful world...
(Disclosure - I spent hours and hours reading this book, staring at the pictures and fantasizing about the strange land of Wild Things when I was a little boy. I've tried to give an unbiased review, but when you love something...)
This production, brought to you by the minds of Spike Jones and Dave Eggers, reaches so deep into the reality of an awkward, angry, and exciting little boy (who's not so little after all) Max, that you soon find yourself viewing the world from his perspective. Of course you want to root for young Max. You want him to be brave. You want him to defeat the obstacles to his happiness. You want him to come out of his trials more a man than the boy that he goes in as.
But you also soon realize you don't want him to do it too fast. The young man has far too much maturity for a kid his age. He's seen too much, though we don't know what that "too much" is, and it's made him braver and more practical than a kid his age should be. Max wants desperately to remain a little boy. One who can plan snowball fights, howl at the moon, and make mommy laugh with a strange little jig.
A true doppelganger of the storybook Max, the immensely talented Max Records touches every emotion the pre-pubescent character is meant to evoke. Then he does something more. Drawing on some source of inspiration that this reviewer believes must derive from personal experience. Don't mistake me, the story, the script, and the direction stood on it's own. Max as Max however, made the whole thing...believable.
Wife Prince and I disagree on how much this film is meant for children. Her argument is the film has many deeper messages that children aren't likely to understand
My argument is, the writers and directors don't pull any punches in the delivery of the message; the world is an angry, wonderful, frustrating, exciting, hurtful, hateful and confusing place. They treat their audience, ages six and up IMO, like thinking, feeling, emotionally involved human beings. Max and the Wild Things, each taking on a part of Max's personality and his emotion, learn how to deal. They go on an adventure of discovery filled with creating, destroying, loving, hating, wanting, rejecting. All in an effort to help Max learn how to deal with the jumble of emotions that come with growing up - all the time saying nothing about the tragedy we're not let in on.
If you're going to see this film, don't expect to come away with the happy, warm feeling of Finding Nemo. You'll be disappointed if you do. But if you have a kid six and older that's beginning her own maturation process and struggling with tempers and sadness and energy and relationships with others (like most kids), this film will give them a wonderful example of the good and the bad of this process. Think of it as a What to Expect When You're Expecting to Grow Up.
For parents there's something else. The film gives us insight. It clarifies many of the inexplicable actions of our little babies. You know the ones. The "What's gotten into her?" actions.
Where the Wild Thing Are is one of the best movies I've seen in a long long time. It's an easy Five Stars with an exclamation point!
So, have you seen it? What's your impression? Do I have it right, or is there a whole other message that I missed? Are you gonna take your kids to see it?
Let us know in the comments!
Sid.
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