 "Photo: Press Photo")
There is always a certain apprehension when someone takes a cherished childhood memory and remakes it. The new movie Where the Wild Things Are is no exception.
The film is based on the 1963 book by Maurice Sendak that has been a favorite of both children and adults since its release. In the book, a boy named Max is sent to his room, where he imagines a world full of wild creatures.He eventually becomes homesick and returns to find a hot supper waiting for him.
The movie version is much more complex. Max, convincingly played by Max Records, is portrayed as a lonely, imaginative and somewhat disturbed boy who lashes out against those around him.
After a particularly bad tantrum, he runs away from home and sails to where the wild things are. He lies to them and tells them that he is a king from another world. They believe him and immediately commence the wild rumpus-ing.
Each of the wild things represents a different facet of Max's personality. Angry, alienated, shy. My personal favorite was the gentle giant Ira, voiced by Forest Whitaker, who makes holes in the trees.
The most interesting thing about the wild things is that they are played by actual people wearing giant fuzzy suits. It is rare to see this in the age of computer-generated everything, and I appreciated it. It really added to the imagination of the story and also made it more child-like.
The whole atmosphere of the movie was very well thought- out. From the intricate sets to the hipster soundtrack, the film succeeded in creating something that captured childhood wonder.
Where the movie fell flat for me was the story. It seemed more like a collection of moments than an actual plot. There were a lot of heart-to-heart conversations and angry outbursts, but none of them seemed to come together to convey a single message. The simplicity of the book was lost when it was turned into a two-hour movie.
The movie ends when Max decides that he has had enough of being a wild thing and sails back home. The most touching moment in the film for me was when Max is reunited with his mother, played by Catherine Keener. It was much more emotionally charged than any of the slightly-confusing, philosophical talks that Max had with the wild things.
Overall, I think this was a decent movie. It was beautifully done and made an admirable attempt to break out of typical children's movie mold. I think that both young and old alike will appreciate its imaginative spirit.
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