An unusual decision was made by Warner Brothers studio in choosing a director to make this family film based upon the famous children's book by Maurice Sendak. Instead of finding a veteran of animated pictures or family films to bring this fantasy to life, the producers and studio chose a filmmaker known for his odd, adult-themed dramas and cinematic music videos. Spike Jonze took these prior experiences and made a very unique family, fantasy film that is unlike anything else on the market. "Where the Wild Things Are" has the edginess of the '80s fantasy film "The Never-ending Story" but it is much more about developing characters and building relationships and less about adventure. As such, it may be too passive a story and cerebral a picture to hold most children's attention without their parents.
The modern fairy tale focuses on a boy named Max who "acts out" in the home he shares with his single Mom (Catherine Keener; a "Being John Malkovich" veteran) and older sister. After a wild scene in his animal pajamas, Max runs away. He takes a boat out to sea and lands on an island with large, monstrous creatures. They are intelligent, speaking English, but are in the midst of a destructive argument. Carol is the angry main character with a good heart who quickly befriends the boy. Max pretends to be a travelling king. The other creatures decide to follow Max's orders, hoping to create a better, more peaceful community. Max finds leading these behemoths more difficult than he originally anticipated.
The choice of dressing people in giant Muppet-esque costumes to make the "things" works visually, creating a more believable environment. This allows for better character interaction with the real boy, Max. The talented voice actors portray the creatures more like humans and less like monsters, another creative choice. It is odd to hear James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, and Forest Whitaker using even voices while describing whether to destroy something or eat someone. It creates a surreal, uneasiness greater than if the monsters were allowed to behave more extreme.
At times, the movie is fascinating and insightful, exploring social interaction and relationships in a fantastical way. But there are some dry spots in the film and an argument can be made that nothing really happens during the picture. It is an art-house version of a family film and therefore will cause some people to love the picture and others to hate it. I found enough in the movie to keep my interest and was captivated by how different the movie felt. Overall, "Where the Wild Things Are" skews more towards people seeking to recapture their youth than those currently young.
Rated PG for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.
