“Where the Wild Things Are” is a children’s film … with pathos. And it’s daring, to be sure, just not in ways that truly inspire greatness.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Directors: Spike Jonze
Producers: Various
Writers: Spike Jonze (screenplay) & Dave Eggers (screenplay) Maurice Sendak (book)
Features: Rated PG for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language. Running Time: 99 Min. In U.S. theaters: Oct. 16, 2009.
Characters:
Max Records ... Max
Pepita Emmerichs ... Clair
Catherine Keener ... Mom
Mark Ruffalo ... The Boyfriend
James Gandolfini ... Carol (voice)
Paul Dano ... Alexander (voice)
Catherine O'Hara ... Judith (voice)
Forest Whitaker ... Ira (voice)
Michael Berry Jr. ... The Bull (voice)
Chris Cooper ... Douglas (voice)
Lauren Ambrose ... KW (voice)
Genre: Drama
Review:
Reserve your tickets for "Where the Wild Things Are" at Fandango:
In theaters: October 16, 2009.
When your source book is a mere 48 pages, and a good 15-20 pages of that is just blank abyss, titles or legal jargon, some obvious changes will need to take place with a feature-length theatrical adaption.
It’s inherently impossible to "keep close to the story" of the original book. After all, there really isn’t much of a story to begin with. In Maurice Sendak’s picture book, "Where the Wild Things Are," there’s really just one speaking character, Max -- and Max’s wild adventure is a brief one.
After being punished and sent to his room, Max heads to an island where he meets several ferocious monsters. He names himself King and dances around for a bit with the creatures. He then grows tired of his kingdom and decides to go home. That’s it. Three, maybe four minutes, and you’re done reading "Where the Wild Things Are."
So, how does director Spike Jonze fill the time? Well, he gives each character detrimental emotional faults and forces Max to act out a sort of visual fantasy-metaphor, so that he can cope with his own problems. In other words, "Where the Wild Things Are" is a children’s film … with pathos.
While hardly as engaging, or moving, as the film’s truly wonderful theatrical trailer (not the film’s fault, but it’s still frustrating), Jonze’s "Where the Wild Things Are" is a messy affair that attempts to place us in the mind of a 9-year-old, but the film gets stopped up by Jonze’s own personal demons and occasionally irritating creative choices.
The talented director started this project (in 2003) fresh off his split with Sofia Coppola, who in turn used the breakup as one of her dramatic arches in "Lost in Translation."
Just as she did with "Translation," Spike strikes back with his side of the story, using "Wild Things" to form a metaphor encompassing his tumultuous relationship with Coppola. The results are occasionally bitter, particularly for those who find themselves siding with Coppola’s version of the tale.
Obviously, most mainstream audiences will have no idea that this is what’s really going on during the film, and Jonze doesn’t spend the entire film working out his own personal demons, which is good.
Max (played by newcomer Max Records, who's absolutely terrific) is a complex, if broken and disconnected youth, who’s dealing with a constantly distant sister and a divorced mother who’s juggling work, dating and tending to her children. Max is also dealing with his own issues of abandonment and depression. It’s a lot for a young boy to endure, and Max often acts out much of his pathos by dressing up in an old, ratty wolf costume and fantasizing about worlds much better than his own.
After a particularly nasty argument with his mother, Max runs out of the house and heads toward the woods. It’s here (not his bedroom, like the book) where Max finds a boat and travels to a mysterious island where he encounters the Wild Things. And, just like the book, Max proclaims himself king and begins his rule over the indigenous creatures, who turn out to have problems that are often very similar to Max’s own.
Unfortunately, because the picture book covers this act in about four wordless pages, the film ends up borrowing from other sources, plucking elements from Michael Ende’s equally brilliant German novel, "The Neverending Story." Just as Bastian does in that book, Max botches the design of his own "perfect world" and creates more problems among the Wild Things than were there before. Jonze even goes as far as to infuse similar production elements and costumes from 1984 film adaptation of "The Neverending Story."
In fact, "Where the Wild Things Are" is more in keeping with the darker tone and style of '80s films like "The Dark Crystal," "The Neverending Story" and "Labyrinth" -- a time when studios were less afraid of being a little grisly with their PG films. Thankfully, this isn’t such a bad thing. Jonze and his crew do create a wonderfully beautiful film with lavish set pieces and gorgeous locales, though it hardly looks like it should have cost $80 million to produce.
The Wild Things themselves look rather amazing. Part costume, part CG, they don’t quite feel real, which is exactly the right look they need. After all, they’re just a figment of a young boy’s colorful imagination. Each character is brought to life thanks to a wonderfully talented cast including James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Chris Cooper, Lauren Ambrose and Michael Berry Jr.
Sadly, the life these performers draw is often hacked away by Jonze’s wobbly pace, which meanders way too much in the middle act. His waxy sense of storytelling also creates a disconnect which distances the audience from the characters more than it draws us in.
The film’s folksy children’s music, from Karen Orzolek (the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), is equally as frustrating and disconnected. At times, it feels completely separate from the mood of the picture, rarely guiding the story. Carter Burwell’s brief additional cues work much better -- and feel far more timeless. Orzolek’s music will more than likely feel dated in less than 10 years.
Despite all that’s going against it, "Where the Wild Things Are" is a fine children’s film, but somewhat of a misfire. It’s hard to emotionally connect to the characters, who lead depressing, anguished lives, and a bit too disjointed to feel inspired and inventive. It’s clear why Warner was nervous about the product. It’s daring, to be sure, just not in ways that truly inspire greatness.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: B
Film Value: C+
Final Grade:
B-
Recommendation: Worth a look, but it can wait for video if need-be.
***
Here's the theatrical trailer:
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----R. L. Shaffer