I didn't really know what to expect when I went to this the latest film by Spike Jonze, director of other films such as Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Granted, I knew the film was based off of the 1963 children's book of the same name - a book which I definitely recall reading - but, other than that, I didn't know what to think. I knew the book was really only 10 pages or so and I forgotten thep lot of the book, so what could possibly make the film adaption any better?
Approximately and hour and a half later, I found myself in tears, ladies & gentlemen. TEARS. This movie is one of the most thought-provoking, entertaining, and intellectual movies I've seen all year. Definitely in the top five for 2009 in cinema. Let me back up, though, and explain what made this movie so special.
We'll start out with plot. The film revolves around a young boy named Max, a wild, albeit lonely, child of a single mother. Day after day is pretty much the same for Max. He has to deal with his uncaring sister, his mother looking for a date, and the school system telling him that, one day, everything around him will die.
On the note that Max's life may not seem that bad by most standards, let me halt for a moment and explain this is not really children's movie. It's more like a film ABOUT children, as well as their experiences and imagination.
Moving on, Max eventually decides enough's enough, and runs away from his family - still in his wolf jammies - to places unknown. After finding a small raft and sailing away from his percieved troubles, he comes upon an island full of magnificent creatures - the "Wild Things" of our story, along with Max - and a beautiful landscape full of variety. After that, not much happens in terms of plot. This film focuses on character and actions, therefore we get to see Max's interactions with the creatures around him like Carol, Douglas, Judith, Alexander, etc. Some people may not like this, but I saw it personally as a plus. Focus on character development and relationships is far more interesting than actual, raw plot.
The film also has a nice, even pace, making you forget the fact that it's only an hour and a half long film - the "average" in today's industry. You'll be too caught up by the characters and the issues they face. For instance, Carol, the Wild Thing most heavily featured in the film, struggles with loneliness and ponders what happens after death, the status of his friendships, and his own mortality. Still sound like a kiddie flick?
Spike Jonze's direction is impeccable, always keeping his audience fastened to their seats so they may feel and "get to know" the characters of our film, as well as their in-your-face and warm-hearted humor. The film does childhood justice, to be frank, and will get ya feeling like a kid again.
There really isn't too much to complain about here. Sure, you could say the film was dark, but that's more of a compliment than a complaint, as the director was kinda going for that. The first 15 minutes of the film, I'll admit, felt forced. While the point was to show that Max perceived his life to be lonely and depressing, it felt like the director REALLY wanted you to relate to Max fast, making him overreact to the most silliest of things. An example of this would be when the film tries to make us sympathize with Max for having his igloo smashed. Seriously?
Overall, though, this film is simply fantastic. Accompanied by brilliant visuals, this character-driven story of loneliness, struggle, hardship, mortality, and family remains thought an entertaining, funny, and thought-provoking ride.
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