4/5 Stars

Where the Wild Things Are

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini

Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are is a film surrounded by hype. The screen version of Maurice Sendak’s popular children’s picture book is darker than expected, and slow at times, but offers a treat for the eyes and ears.

The script stays fairly close to Sendak’s original tale. Max (Records) is a lonely and energetic young boy who feels neglected by his sister and his mother who has a new boyfriend. After an argument with his mother (Keener), Max runs away from home and sails off to a far away land where he meets the “Wild Things.”

The Wild Things are an eclectic group of beasts who, thanks to great CGI and special effects, uncannily resemble the drawings from Sendak’s book. The animal-like creatures are somewhat representative of a dysfunctional family — they appoint Max as their king and leader in the hope he can fix their broken relationships, and in doing so, Max deals with his own family issues.

Where the Wild Things Are is visually stunning. Filmed in New Zealand, the film highlights the land’s natural beauty with simple wide shots of beaches, cliffs and forests. The Wild Things, voiced by well-known actors like Forest Whittaker and Gandolfini, are gorgeously animated and seem more human than beast — it’s easy to forget Max is the sole human for most of the film.

The role of Max is perfectly cast. Using an actual 12-year-old for the role ensured Records’ innocence and naivety came across as genuine on screen. Max is a part any young boy would enjoy playing, as yelling, running, jumping and dirt fights are all part of the plot. However, Records is equally talented in delivering poignant moments in addition to the action sequences.

The soundtrack, composed entirely of songs by Karen O and the Kids, matches both the playful and serious tones of the film. The lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs collaborated with a children’s choir to create the soundtrack, achieving a sense of nostalgia with jingle-jangle indie-pop and kid’s voices.

One downfall of the film was in progress. Some of the quieter scenes of introspection that featured one-on-one conversation between Max and the Wild Things were slow and came dangerously close to sappy. These moments are saved by quirky humour that shines through when least expected.

Though Sendak’s book was meant for children, Jonze’s film is intended for more mature audiences — darker undertones of sadness and anger struggle against a message of hope, love and family.

Where the Wild Things Are is not all hype, and if nothing else, the film makes you long to be an imaginative and carefree kid again.