Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are
The Film is Visually Stunning, but the Story Lacks Depth
Nov 4, 2009
Just One of Those Days
Everybody has had one of those days when they just need to get away from it all: the heartaches, headaches, the frustrations, etc., possibly sail away to a faraway island inhabited by big burly monsters with mood swings comparable to Tony Stewart. Alright, maybe not the last part, but sometimes people need to escape the hard times of every day life. One would not expect a child to have these types of problems, unless the child is Max.
Max (Max Records), a young boy, enjoys an active fantasy life, but has a very bad temper and needs constant attention. One night, just before dinner, Max throws a tantrum about frozen corn, of all things. When his mother (Catherine Keener) tries to restrain him, Max bites her arm and decides to run away in hurt-filled frustration. He finds a boat and embarks across a vast and stormy sea, until finding a mysterious island, where the Wild Things reside. Max, to avoid being eaten by the Wild Things, claims to be their king and have magical powers that can bring harmony to their group.
Aspects of the Film
The Wild Things represent different aspects of Max's life: his feelings, his conflicts, his consoling mother, his snobbish sister. Whether it be his shyness, anger, or bitterness, each Wild Thing carries with it an extreme personality, which most of people can relate to in one way or another.
Director Spike Jonze, director of Being John Malkovich, presents a visually stunning film by using real puppeteers for the monster's bodies and CGI for the faces giving the monsters a real feel. The setting is also majestic with thick forests, and baron deserts and wastelands. Maurice Sendak's 1963 masterpiece is a picture book containing 10 sentences, so Jonze and the writers had to come up with a decent story to compliment the visual aspects of the film. While the film is visually fantastic, the story proves dull and depressing.
The book, which this film is based, was praised as a literary masterpiece, a child's fantasy. The film doesn't share the same sediment. Max has a plethora of problems as do the Wild Things. With the film overloading a child with adult-like problems, children will leave the theater confused, downhearted, and possibly scared at some of the aspects young Max has to deal with.
Final Thoughts
Where the Wild Things Are takes Sendak’s book and adds director Spike Jonze’s interpretation of the text to send the audience on a wild and hairy adventure. The film is a fearless take on the source material with fantastically acted characters, questionable written screenplay, and a fantastic soundtrack all combined to make a depressing but capable film.
