??Care to take a trip down memory lane? The celebrated children’s story by Maurice Sendak has finally overcome its “unfilmable” reputation and landed on the big screen. Now don’t lie to yourself, you know you are dying to see it!
??????For those who need a slight refresher on “Where the Wild Things Are,” the story follows a disobedient child named Max. When Max misbehaves and is sent to bed without dinner, he makes up his own world of ferocious creatures who crown him as their king. Since the book itself is a mere twenty pages long, with a grand total of nine actual printed lines, there was more than a little wiggle room in the plot line. But don’t be alarmed – Sendak was closely involved in the expansion of his book into a full length film and gave the the final interpretation his stamp of approval.
??????This film has a youthful energy to it, which is in part due to an epic soundtrack, courtesy of Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.? Her vocals combine with playground shouts and crazy instrumentals to give a vibrant feel to the film, especially since the music is used incredibly well to compliment events. Also, the handheld camera shots make viewers feel like they are running with the characters in the film. If you haven’t run like a wild thing in ages, prepare to feel like a kid again. Toward the middle, the plot seems to drag as viewers are repeatedly reminded of defects in the characters’ personalities, but it begins to pick up again toward the end.
?????? This film is great for any child. However, kids who have recently been through a divorce or suffered the loss of a parent will probably have a deeper connection with Max since much of his rebeliousness stems from the loss of his father. If you are over the age of twelve and are still dying to see this film, don’t be shy. When I went there were way more twenty-somethings in the theater than small children, and they were way more excited.?
Rated: PG?? Grade: B+