MovieMantz Review: 'Where the Wild Things Are'

Max Records in "Where the Wild Things Are"Warner BrothersAccess Hollywood

By Scott Mantz

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- "Where the Wild Things Aren't"

"Where the Wild Things Are"
Max Records, Catherine Keener
Directed by Spike Jonze

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At the risk of sounding older than I feel, the last time I flipped through a copy of the classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" was when Jimmy Carter was president. Yeah, it was that long ago, but even so, it speaks volumes about its enduring appeal that I can still visualize author Maurice Sendak's wildly imaginative and unique illustrations in my head.

Heck, I even remember some of the words, since the story was basically simple: a young troublemaker named Max is sent to his room, where, thanks to his vivid imagination, he's transported to a far-away place where wild things are. Max befriends them, plays with them and becomes part of their tribe (he's one of them, get it?). Then he leaves, he's back in his room and all is good.

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In some ways, the film version -- directed and co-written by Spike Jonze -- sticks pretty close to the source. But it may be a little too faithful, since there's still not much of a story. In other ways, the movie is incredibly ambitious, but it may be a little too ambitious, depressing and not for kids. Chalk it up to an odd cinematic experience that's visually stunning, but emotionally lacking.

That's because despite being fleshed out from a 10-sentence book to a 100-minute feature film, there's still not much of a story. It's beautifully lush, and it's thrilling to see Max (convincingly played by 9-year old Max Records) interact with the big, furry, horned monsters (effectively rendered with elaborate puppet suits, rather than computer-generated special effects).

But there's nothing at stake here, and there's no forward momentum to the story. If Max and the monsters aren't running around and smashing their forest to bits, then they're mulling over their own mortality. Pretty existential stuff, but what did you expect from the director of 1999's bizarre "Being John Malkovich" and 2002's brilliant "Adaptation?" Let's face it: "Night at the Museum," this isn't.

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Then again, the essence of the book -- in which a social misfit finds his calling -- remains intact. The movie also goes a lot deeper than the book ever did (mostly because of its length). Not only are we introduced to Max's long-suffering mother (Catherine Keener) and her nice-guy boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo), but the film also effectively conveys the loneliness of being an alienated child.

The monsters are also given more distinguishing personalities, thanks to voices provided by James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara and Forest Whitaker. They also seem to be suffering from manic depression, so it's no wonder why Warner Bros. is a bit nervous about recouping its reported $80 million investment. "Where the Wild Things Are" may divide people between brilliance and boredom, but you can count me among the latter, since these wild things didn't make my heart sing.

Verdict: SKIP IT!

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Max Records & Catherine Keener On 'Where The Wild Things Are'
PLAY IT NOW: Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara & Lauren Ambrose Howl About 'Wild Things'

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