'Where The Wild Things Are' (2009) Review

Directed by Spike Jonze

Starring Max Records, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano

Rating 7/10

Sitting down to watch a movie which was based on a kid's story book, I expected a heartwarming tale of self-discovery and an insight into the complicated and creative mind of a child. However, Where The Wild Things Are is so much more.

We first see our young protagonist adorned in a wolf onesie, wreaking havoc in his house and screeching war cries. This hectic introduction shows us straight away this is a wild child. The first thing I thought was "That wean needs a good skelp," which if you’re not Scottish means "What a badly behaved child, he needs some discipline." However as the movie progressed I chastised myself for thinking this, as he is really just an extremely imaginative child. After a fight with his mother, Max runs away from home. He finds a small boat and sets out on the ocean, both physically and psychologically leaving reality behind.

When Max first meets the Wild Things, you would expect the small child to rear back in terror, but true to his character, he dives in head first and screaming. Through some manipulation and storytelling Max convinces the creatures that he is their new King, and as one digs out the crown for him we see a pile of bones. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie, the defining moment when reality crosses with fantasy and child's play crosses with something much more sinister. It was at this point I became skeptical of everything I saw. From this point, every playful encounter and game of chase is laced with dread as the audience becomes increasingly concerned for Max’s safety.

It is fair to say that each Wild Thing has a metaphorical existence and could not only represent parts of Max but also people around him. Carol, played by the late James Gandolfini, resembles Max in an obvious way. He always wants to have fun, but his way of having fun is destructive. We see this straight away when we are introduced to the group and Carol is diving onto their houses, shattering the twigs while laughing—the same way Max is just trying to have fun at the beginning of the film, but does not understand how this affects his mother and the people around him when he acts in such a way. We can also see elements of his mother and sister in other Wild Things. We see Max struggle with his own inner turmoil in one particular scene, where it seems he has swapped places with his mother. He fights with one of the Wild Things, and in frustration, shrieks a line that his mother said to him near the beginning of the movie. It shows us the emotional journey that Max is undertaking, as he begins to understand situations from the perspective of someone else. The actors were really inside these giant suits, with CGI used for the facial expressions, which is done fantastically and the creatures feel very real and present.

Overall, this is not a kid's movie. It does portray childlike emotional states, and shows the growth of a wildly imaginative child. Max’s journey ends as he confronts all aspects of himself and his behaviour and returns to reality and his family. I enjoy the depth this movie has as it doesn’t shout in your face, but is subtle. It puts you in the mind of a child and is a fairly unique experience which will ultimately warm your heart. Definitely check it out.