I’m going to see the film “Where the Wild Things” are today. I’ll post a review, of sorts, on here after a little reflection. Then we can discuss it, along with how the book has had an effect on you over the years.
Leave any comments you have about the movie, (whether you’ve seen it or not) or your thoughts and feelings about the book.
MOVIE REVIEW (of sorts)
OKay I saw it.
General thoughts: If you think of this movie strictly as an adaption, not film based on book, you can fully enjoy this work. It takes different turns then the book, so I kept noticing that, and it got in the way for me.
The movie has some sweet moments, of both innocence and profundity; and Max is a boy dealing with his faults and fears, in a way that the best he can do alone, with wild things doing the same sort of thing. All the same, the movie has a middle area with a slow spot, and it seems like the plot has disappeared. What plot there is at the island meanders hopelessly, but that’s not all bad. Max is a boy who cannot, after all, be King for long. The dialogue of the monsters often left we wanting, but the puppets/actors/CGI is done in a way that carries the entire wild thing off. Jonzes’ movie-making style is suited for this type of piece, and he does many creative direction work I loved. Wildly effective.
Of a 100%, I give it a 78%. It’s worth seeing, if you drop your expectations of the beloved classic tale. Nothing can recapture Maurice Sedick’s work in feature length, so far. However, Spike Jonze has made a good, but not flawless, film.
(for parents) *I detected 2 language usage (damn was the word I think), for those of you who don’t want children exposed to this sort of thing. As far as me taking my 6 and 9 year old, I might wait until video. This is mostly because Max is so unruly at the beginning, I picture my kids imitating his antics as fast as they get a chance. The “scariness” was there, but wasn’t all that terrifying. It wasn’t so much TEETH, or realistic gore, but suspense. A creature loses an arm, but it’s not blood that comes out, and he complains, but doesn’t appear to be in pain. It could be that the dull spot in the middle, could make children, teens (and some adults) bored, or worse, whinny. This movie is fine for children over 8, in my opinion. Under that age, I think the parent would have to decide based on the sensitivity of their particular child.
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Hope this was helpful.