Spring Break
"Wild Things" shows beastly side of childhood
On the Silver Screen
Issue date: 11/5/09
When one considers the monumental success of "Where the Wild Things Are," Maurice Sendaks's widely read and cherished children's book, it is hard to imagine a movie that lives up to the hype. Indeed, both fans and critics have been skeptical of Spike Jonze's film since its first day of production: How can a movie properly treat such a surreal and nebulous story?
The truth is that it can't. Not quite, anyway. Jonze's film, for all its merit, cannot mimic the emotional response that the novel can evoke so easily. While watching the film, one who is familiar with the book will realize that the two stories are very different from one another. In dragging the tale to the silver screen, much of its magic has been lost. This "Wild Things" is not the one of our youth.
To say that the movie is different from the book, though, is not necessarily a criticism. The film, featuring Max (Max Records) as the costumed protagonist, has many shining moments. It tells the story of boy forced to cope with sudden, vicious change - namely, the divorce of his dad and mom (played by Catherine Keener).
Max blames himself for his parents' divorce and as a result he wants to vindicate himself in every aspect of his life. The combination of guilt and anger at feeling guilty makes Max act out and soon he finds himself running away from his home as fast as he can.
At this point, the movie loses its grip on reality. Before he knows it, Max finds himself sailing towards a mysterious island. Upon his arrival, he comes across large, strange, even wild beasts, one of which is destroying everything he can get his claws on.
As Max makes himself known to them, it is this angry beast, Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini) who comes to his aid. He is all too willing to convince the others that Max is a "king," and that he will solve all their problems.
At this point, the beasts talk about other "kings" whom they have eaten in the past. While this review would usually welcome the creepy, macabre and the weird in any given film, the danger of the main protagonist - a child - being eaten by wild creatures is a bit much to swallow. Instead of warming up to these beasts - who, in actuality, resemble massive, bloodthirsty versions of stuffed animals - the audience may inadvertently vilify them.
The truth is that it can't. Not quite, anyway. Jonze's film, for all its merit, cannot mimic the emotional response that the novel can evoke so easily. While watching the film, one who is familiar with the book will realize that the two stories are very different from one another. In dragging the tale to the silver screen, much of its magic has been lost. This "Wild Things" is not the one of our youth.
To say that the movie is different from the book, though, is not necessarily a criticism. The film, featuring Max (Max Records) as the costumed protagonist, has many shining moments. It tells the story of boy forced to cope with sudden, vicious change - namely, the divorce of his dad and mom (played by Catherine Keener).
Max blames himself for his parents' divorce and as a result he wants to vindicate himself in every aspect of his life. The combination of guilt and anger at feeling guilty makes Max act out and soon he finds himself running away from his home as fast as he can.
At this point, the movie loses its grip on reality. Before he knows it, Max finds himself sailing towards a mysterious island. Upon his arrival, he comes across large, strange, even wild beasts, one of which is destroying everything he can get his claws on.
As Max makes himself known to them, it is this angry beast, Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini) who comes to his aid. He is all too willing to convince the others that Max is a "king," and that he will solve all their problems.
At this point, the beasts talk about other "kings" whom they have eaten in the past. While this review would usually welcome the creepy, macabre and the weird in any given film, the danger of the main protagonist - a child - being eaten by wild creatures is a bit much to swallow. Instead of warming up to these beasts - who, in actuality, resemble massive, bloodthirsty versions of stuffed animals - the audience may inadvertently vilify them.
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Las Vegas Movers | Local
posted 11/06/09 @ 4:42 PM EST
Quote:
"At this point, the beasts talk about other "kings" whom they have eaten in the past. While this review would usually welcome the creepy, macabre and the weird in any given film, the danger of the main protagonist - a child - being eaten by wild creatures is a bit much to swallow. (Continued…)
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