Where the Wild Things Are

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Starring:Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Lauren Ambrose

Running Time: 1h 34min

Excitement for the marrying of the wonderfully imaginative Maurice Sendak picture book with the bizarre and cerebral directorial efforts of Spike Jonze made "Where the Wild Things Are" one of the most anticipated films of the year for me (Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox is right up there). The previews set to the music of Arcade Fire gave me goosebumps. Then the previews of the talking wild things threw me for a loop and i was longing for a silent film.

Which is why recommending this film, which i definitely do, has to come with a warning. In order to enjoy this film, i think you need to enter the theatre without any preconceived notions of what you are about to see, or want to see, for that matter. For fans of Jonze, this should come as no surprise. He never fails to surprise, equally by what we see, but sometimes more importantly, by what we don't get.

This is NOT a movie for kids. BUT i took my kid to it. (She liked it. Or, in her words, "It was crazy a little bit!") This is NOT a typical adaptation of a kids story book (though some would argue it is a book much loved by the adults who have grown up having read it themselves as children). BUT it is a beautifully adapted piece of work, true to the tone and feel of Sendak's work. It is NOT a special effects extravaganza. BUT it is full of technical wizardry. It's a contradiction that i am hesitant to recommend, because i think it settles in under your skin and forces a personal response from each and every viewer. Which is exactly why it can be considered a positive triumph of a film.

As with most of Jonze's films, Where the Wild Things Are is probably going to get better with each viewing. Once the awe inducing visceral quality of the gigantic monsters starts to wear off (if ever it does--the picture book is still a hoot to look at), there is an emotional resonance that will continue to echo and haunt the film. Indeed, each wild thing seems to inhabit an element of a child's pscyhe, or at least a troubled, angst riddled child with personal demons. The voice cast is excellent, every step of the way, negating any fears i had that talking wild things would ruin the movie. O'Hara, Gandolfini and Ambrose are particularly great, lending their personal warmth, humour, and emotional sincerity in spades.

It's certainly a film filled with sadness, and an amazing understanding of the impact simple events have on children. True to the picture book's heart, the film steps deep inside the child's imagination and presents itself, in its entirety, from the point of view of Max. Jonze achieves this with crafty camera work, sparse yet solid dialogue, and fantastic imagery. Yet, unlike the candy coated eye popping imagination of say, Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this world is very dark, quite gloomy, and filled with anger. You will certainly leave the theatre feeling bummed, not your typical response from a child centric movie. However, it's the refusal to view children as anything but complex, imaginative, emotional creatures that gives Sendak's work a poignant beauty and wonder all its own. Jonze can confidently claim another faithful and fantastic adaptation to his oeuvre.

Grade: A-