Where the Wild Things Are

His (Jonze) obvious affection for, and veneration of, Maurice Sendak's 1963 Caldecott Medal-winning children's book is palpable in his near-perfect live-action adaptation, a dreamy -- and, like Sendak's book, faintly nightmarish -- exploration of one child's tantrum-y side.

What he’s (Jonze) ended up with strikes me as one of the most empathic and psychologically acute of all movies about childhood -- a "Wizard of Oz" for the dysfunctional-family era.

There are some great, rapturous moments in Where the Wild Things Are. Jonze is humbled before the wonders of a child's imagination, and so are we.

The result is an involving experience for all but the most fidgety children and an opportunity for parents to enjoy (rather than endure) a motion picture with their offspring.

Where the film falters is Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers' adaptation, which fails to invest this world with strong emotions.

Warmly and gently handled, though the central story, detailing the personal politics between him and the six childlike monsters, steadily loses steam.

The true soulfulness of Sendak’s parable never emerges.

Childhood redeemed! I've never thought i see this book in the big screens considering how little content the original had. The author must of had alot of imagination to turn such few words into such a fantasy driven movie.

This review presents Where the Wild Things Are not as a typical kids' movie, but as a raw, complex exploration of childhood. Likening it to The Graduate, the reviewer notes its focus on the difficult transition of growing up and the futility of retreating to safe havens. Despite praising the ambitious adaptation of a 350-word book, the review highlights narrative flaws. Max is depicted as a deeply troubled child, and the lack of a clear external goal makes the episodic plot feel slow and occasionally boring. However, the film’s production is praised as a triumph. Max Records delivers a compelling performance, and Spike Jonze’s blend of practical Henson creature suits with digital faces creates tangible, weighty monsters. The intimate, documentary-style cinematography visually anchors the film. In its final assessment, the review calls it a visually stunning, emotionally resonant, yet narratively exhausting film—a divisive experience that is respected more than loved.

Although it had potential, it squandered it by making it too adult; as someone who read the books as a child, I was expecting a bit of escapism. Instead, I got a sullen coming-of-age story that doesn't quite hit the mark in any category. The voice acting from James Gandolfini was great, but other than that, I wouldn't give this movie much in the way of praise.

If Spike Jonze was hoping to capture the power of imagination to a stressed child, he succeeded. He was much less successful in conveying how imagination transcends childhood, which is dissapointing as the books resonance is quite universal.

It is rubbish, I'm sorry to people that liked it but I really didn't enjoy the film. I was looking forward to going to see the film at the cinema but I was really dissapointed, I am a fan of the book but it isn't based on the book at all. I really disliked it.