Max isn't like other kids. He's introverted, aggressive and moody. Despite learning advanced astronomy in class, he still hides in blanket forts in his room, issuing commands to his army of stuffed animals. He moves from happily throwing snowballs to crying silently at his departing sister to destroying her room in a furious tantrum. And despite this, he is a king.
""Where the Wild Things Are"" is not a portrait of a child in transition, but rather a world in transition from the perspective of a child. Writer/director Spike Jonze and fellow writer Dave Eggers make audiences reminisce about their childhood to the point that they are transported directly into it. Nostalgia is the name of the game, and Jonze creates it with surprising accuracy.
For those unfamiliar with Maurice Sendak's original 1962 children's story, the plot differs very little, apart from a deeper introduction. Rather than being sent to his room for being naughty, Max (Max Records) has run away from home, unable to bear the alienation he faces with a struggling single mom (Catherine Keener), a potential new father figure (Mark Ruffalo) and a teenage sister suddenly too cool to hang out with him. He finds a boat that carries him to the land of the wild things, a group of giant, majestic creatures longing for leadership and meaning.
Fans of the book will appreciate the wild things looking exactly the same as their book counterparts. The film differs from the book, however, by giving each wild thing a distinct personality and voice. There's Carol (James Gandolfini), the leader of the pack. He's first introduced to audiences as he smashes the wild things' homes, reminiscent of a petulant bully smashing the other children's sand castles. There's the object of Carol's affection, K.W., who has separated herself from the group because of Carol's frequent mood swings and general immaturity. There's Ira, the gentle giant, who loves Judith, the sharp-tongued (and sharp-horned) beast. There's Douglas, Carol's de facto sidekick, and Alex, the bad-tempered goat whom no one listens to. There's the Big Bull, a strong and silent wild thing who stoically observes them all, and there's Max, whom the wild things make king because of his supposed magical powers.
Despite their size, the wild things are just giant children, and Max is simply unfit to be their parent. He picks favorites, pits them against each other and can't make them feel better when they cry. They face all the difficulties he did in real life, allowing Max to walk a mile in his mother's shoes. By the film's conclusion, everyone has grown a little, and Max is able to look at the world from a new perspective.
From a technical standpoint, ""Where the Wild Things Are"" keeps it youthful. Numerous handheld camera and low-angle shots put the viewer in a child's shoes, while the soundtrack is a chorus of kids (led by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) seamlessly integrated with the natural sights and sounds.
One warning for parents who want to bring their kids: ""Where the Wild Things Are"" is dark, scary and rarely has the bright, sunny moments one would expect in a children's film. Whether that will constrain the film from reaching a greater breadth of demographics remains to be seen.
In all, Spike Jonze has done a masterful job bringing a childhood classic to life. ""Where the Wild Things Are"" will send audiences flying back through time and give college students their much-needed indie fix.
Grade: AB
