Where The Wild Things Are

Welcome again to another one of Mike's movie reviews!  This week, I went and saw Where The Wild Things Are.  All I can say before I review it is that you have to keep in mind while watching this that it is a movie about a child's adventure -- not necessarily a children's movie.

The movie is very similar to the book in that it follows the adventures of Max as he sails away from home to the island the wild things live on.  There he meets, befriends, and becomes the king of the wild things.  From there Max, Carol, and the rest of the wild things have various adventures including building a fort where things you only want to happen in there do, having a dirt clod war, and having a wild rumpus.  After all is said and done, Max sails back home and is reunited with his mother.

Now this may seem like something that would be a children's film, but trust me it almost isn't.  The beginning is somewhat dark and that dark overtone will sneak in and out through the film.  There's one moment where Max in class and his teacher begins talking about the solar system.  No harm, right?  Wrong.  He talks about how one day the sun is going to die, and that when it does, it's going to take the earth out with it.  The teacher then reassures them it'll be millions of years before that happens, and that they'll be dead and so will humanity more than likely.  I was beginning to wonder he would go over next.  Maybe realizing that no matter what you do in life, you just die anyway?  Or perhaps that death is innevitable anyway?  That part was probably the oddest in the movie, and there are 8ft tall monsters walking around.

This isn't to say the movie is bad.  As I said, it doesn't feel to me like a children's movie with some of the tones it takes.  The monsters aren't cute and cuddily like a Disney movie, they're realistic.  They argue over things, get mad, and generally act realistic.  When they get into fights one of the monsters usually goes out into the forest for a walk to cool down.  They even begin to cry as Max leaves.  That scene in general is a great.  The setup for it really pulls at your heart strings, and some people in the theater where also crying as Max set sail for home.

There is one thing I'd like to address here.  When Max gets home his mother hugs him and gives him a nice meal before the credits roll.  If this were to have happened to me, I would have come home to an ass whoopin' like never before seen in my life.  THEN I would have gotten the hug and food.  After that, I would have gotten a "Don't you ever run away again."  Maybe that's just family, but the general consesus was that Max should have at least gotten spanked.

All in all, the movie met and exceeded my expectations.  I'd go see it again and I recommend that you go see it too.  One last thing I thought was awesome, scary, and funny was a scene with Carol and Douglas.  They get into a fight and Carol RIPS OFF DOUGLAS' ARM.  Later you see Douglas, now with a large stick replacing his "favorite arm."  I thought that was hilarious just to let you know.

Til Next Time,
Mike