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Based on a 1963 children's book by Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are, is about a little boy named Max (Max Records) who was sent to his room without supper for misbehaving by his Mom (Catherine Keener). Out of Max's imagination grows a wild forest, and an ocean on which he sails to an island of enormous monsters called the "Wild Things".
The Wild Things are scary, bigger-than-life fierce monsters, that Max tames "by staring into their yellow eyes without blinking once". Max dances with the Wild Things in a "wild rumpus" and is made "the King of all Wild Things". Max soon finds he's bored and lonely, and longs for home. He returns to his bedroom only to find his mother left supper waiting for him.
The book, Where The Wild Things Are, is only 10 sentences and 338 words long, and the fact that they were able to get a 94 minute movie out of it is truly amazing. The film does however stray from the book in a few disturbing but understandable ways. The Wild Things were given peculiar personalities, some of them not so nice and frightening, others are clumsy and loveable. James Gandolfini's monster Carol, is both the warmest and most violent of the creatures. Monsters without personalities would make for a pretty short and dull movie.
"Where The Wild Things Are" tends to be an emotional roller coaster for Max, and any child that can identify with him and his unfortunate circumstances. Max's Mom, a single divorced and overly stressed mother, doesn't have the time to spend with him that he thinks she should. He takes to acting out his frustrations and becomes a behavioral problem. As the movie drags on, we're left with a whole lot of negative feelings - sorrow, anger, jealousy and regret.
Is this a children's movie adults will enjoy, or an adult movie that children will get easily bored with? The story will appeal to parents, and the kids will enjoy the monsters, so in the end, everybody wins. According to Newsday.com, "'Where the Wild Things Are' clearly wants to be a children's movie that isn't really a children's movie, and it succeeds. That's great news - if you're an adult."
"Where the Wild Things Are"
Cast of Characters:
"Where The Wild Things Are" opened in theaters on October 16th, including choice IMAX theaters for a really BIG adventure into the land of make believe.
Written by Donna Diegel
Exclusive to HULIQ.com
Posted October 16th, 2009 by Donna Diegel
