I didn't want to write this review, and I really don't know why. After leaving the theater, I felt nothing but sadness, and I'm not sure if it came from my disappointment in not getting the movie I was expecting, or if it had to do with the overall tone of the film.
"Where the Wild Things Are" is one of those films that will divide audiences. While some will get up and cheer on this film, I think most will be heartbroken. It's not the film the trailers would lead you to believe.
Innovative director Spink Jonze collaborated with author Maurice Sendak to bring this beloved children's book to life on the big screen. Obviously, lots of creative license had to be taken. If I remember correctly, there are only 14 lives in the entire book.
The storyline involves a young 9-year-old boy named Max.
A mischievous kid who is sent to bed without his supper, his bedroom becomes a magical jungle landscape with strange creatures.
I will admit that Jonze did an admirable job of transforming the book's thin plot into something more substantial. The movie turns into a tale that is less about the boy himself, and more about what it's like to be a kid in general.
And let me tell you, it isn't easy -- at least according to Jonze and Sendak.
I don't know if I could ever sit through this again because of its melancholy tone, although I do believe it should be seen more than once.
On a more positive note, the visual effects on the "Where the Wild Things Are" are nearly unbelievable. They're perfect. Being the technical geek that I am, I couldn't keep myself from analyzing all the detail, and imagining what effects artists did to achieve the final result.
It's nothing short of amazing.
If "Where the Wild Things Are" is anything, it's uncompromising. I'm just not used to spending my money to sit through a 90-minute psychological exam.
3 buckets (just because the effects are so good).
