"Where the Wild Things Are"

The adored children's story by Maurice Sendak has finally received a film adaptation. With unorthodox director Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich", "Jackass") at the helm, the story takes on a much darker tone, dealing with some uniquely thematic material. Needless to say, "Where the Wild Things Are" is not a movie for kids. It is, however, a frightening ride into the psyche of a 10-year-old kid, dark monsters in the closet included. It's a movie made for the kid inside all of us, and if you go see it with that mentality it will make perfect sense.

For those unfamiliar with the book, it is about a kid named Max who gets sent to bed without dinner. During his spur of anger he dreams up this magical boat that takes him to the imaginary land where the wild things are. There he discovers some interesting characters and a little about himself ,and after about ten pages of colorful drawings he heads back home. The movie follows this basic guideline as an inspiration, but takes some creative freedom in order to expand the story for the big screen. Nonetheless, all of the characters from the book receive their proper depth and complexity.

The fully developed personalities of each of the monsters characterize them much more symbolically that in the book did. Each wild thing is a different part of Max's being, whether they interpret an important person in his life or an emotion he struggles with. Here is where the movie breaks from its child-like shackles. The emotions the monsters face are real and come from deep within. Max is a troubled anti-hero, someone everyone can relate to, but would never want to stand in his shoes. It is through this path that the movie flows into some truly dark territory, dealing with mature problems, such as loss and not being able to fit in. Some of the story elements remain unexplained or are simply bizarre, but here is where the child at heart needs to fill in the blanks and make sense of the situation. Despite all of these seemingly offbeat turns from the source material, the film remains true to its message and will definitely please fans.

Much praise needs to be given to the art director for the film. Everything from the gorgeously expressive faces of the monsters to the simplistic soundtrack fits together perfectly. The mood created by the film is unique and undeniably charming. The use of actual costumes for the wild things is a notable touch that adds a level of care and passion, which computer generated effects simply cannot deliver.

When a movie has heart, the audience can tell. It is crystal clear that every frame of this film has received individual care. From the eye-fooling special effects to the tear jerking moments, "Where the Wild Things Are" was made for the kid inside all of us. It taps into the far reaches of our nostalgia and understands exactly how hard it was to be so young. A definite cult classic that demands to be seen by anyone who still longs for a little childish carelessness in their lives.