RATING


Do not try to rationalize with a child; you’re not going to win.

During the first 20 minutes of “Where the Wild Things Are” I was completely lost. I tried to see the bigger picture. I tried to understand the motives behind Max, played by Max Records, and his antics. I even tried to analyze the film to see if there was any comparison to the current state of the world’s war zones. My 24-year-old brain almost had a meltdown, as I could find nothing to calm my fear that I just wasn’t getting it.

Somewhere between the 20-minute and 30-minute mark of the film, something clicked. Perhaps it was the endless questioning of why the monsters shouldn’t eat Max or his excuses of why they didn’t have the right, but there it was. This movie wasn’t meant to be figured out – it’s just child’s play.

It’s not for the adult mind to evaluate. It’s for: the kindergartner who can’t sit still; the little girl who must capture the family pet and hold it super tight because “it likes to be held like this”; the little boy who has a heart of gold but is just a little too over aggressive, and for all three who still live inside us.

Director Spike Jonze was able to capture the mind of a child so well it was near impossible to escape the authenticity of imagination on the screen. The costumes, soundtrack and direction were dead-on to what I needed to make believe in Max’s island. The original score playing melodically in the background of the scenes is playful and irritating, just like a kid. Having Max hum throughout the film is a constant reminder that you’re seeing inside a child’s mind’s playground, but it’s also a distraction during scene transitions.

The greatest aspect of the film was the writing. Jonze and co-writer David Eggers perfected children’s dialogue. While it did sound strange to have an 8-foot-tall goat monster talk about how sad he is that no one listens to him, it was said in a way that only a child could mutter. Within the movie’s dialogue, there is no motive or hidden agenda that riddles adult conversation, just pure feeling.

Just like a child, this movie will have its own unique plan and story. Only when I was able to blink away my jaded adult lens was I able to see this movie for what it was meant to be – fun.

All comments are moderated before being published. We will not edit your comments, but we also will not approve those that are abusive, off-topic, attack another poster or contain information we know to be libelous or false.

During peak weekday viewing times, most comments will be reviewed within six hours. For more detailed information, click here.

After submitting your comment, check below for a confirmation message.

• Your name:
• Enter text from image:
  

• Your comment:

* 300-character count. HTML formatting will not display.