New film brings classic children's book to life

Where the Wild Things Are is a childhood classic successfully brought to life on the big screen.

The film is based on the Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's picture book of the same name. The book itself is only 10 sentences long, so the majority of the movie is due to Spike Jonze, notable director of Being John Malkovich (1999). In order to achieve the overall unique look of the film live action, suitmation, animatronics and CGI were used.

I've had high expectations for this film since I first saw the teaser trailer back in August, and I was not let down. The film combined not only the sentimentality of childhood but also the pain of life.

Max, played by newcomer Max Records, is a rambunctious and rather bratty little kid, who can't handle the fact that his mother is dating and his sister is outgrowing him. After an emotional outburst in which he bites his mom and she yells at him, Max runs away and finds a boat. After sailing away, he stumbles upon an island, which is inhabited by seven strange, wild creatures.

Earlier in the movie it is revealed Max is an expert storyteller. After weaving a fantastic tale of conquering Vikings, the Wild Things make Max their king. The Wild Things believe a king can solve their problems of loneliness and unhappiness, not knowing Max has the same expectations about being a king.

The creatures are very animal-like in appearance and resolve their problems with definite violence, which is a reflection of Max to a "T."

When they first met Max, the Wild Things threaten to eat him. In another scenario, a Wild Things gets upset and, as their king, Max resolves the discord by starting a dirt clod fight in which all involved throw chunks of dirt at one another.

I contribute the believability of this film to Record's acting. Without it, the audience would not be able to take stock in the odd creatures. His interactions with them whether angry, sad or otherwise do nothing but remind the audiences there is a wild thing in all of us.

I also found the voices of the creatures a part of the film's success. Although the actors only lent their voices to their huge, emotional counterparts, it was enough to display the primitive humanity in these beasts.

Karen O, lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, wrote the film's soundtrack, so as a fan of the band I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the score during the movie; but as a person swayed by the songs during a film, I felt the music was a major part in the turning of the moods and letting the audience know how to feel during every scene.

This movie was like a box marked as one thing, but when opened it is something way better. Where the Wild Things Are is surprising with its lovable, violent characters and a universal astuteness towards the human condition.

I could see and feel the emotions of joy, terror and humor associated with being and existing with the Wild Things and Max. My expectations were met and by far exceeded.

However, don't let the phrase "children's movie" deceive you; this movie is definitely not meant for children. Between the rather creepy, physically imposing "Wild Things" and the mature themes the film encompasses, the film will be far more enjoyed by an older crowd simply because the meaning will be lost on the younger crowd.