Where the Wild Things Are Reviews and Ratings



  • December 21, 2009
    max is a tearaway,andwhen he goes to far with his mother, runs away,and reasons unknown, sails to a island, where he befriends these creatures, who make him king, he fits right in here,as these are basically parentless kids, smashing things up and having fun, but needing a leader...( read more), max fits the bill, spike jonze brings his style to the beloved childrens book,which i havent read,adding some indie tunes to mix,and independend filmmmaking look, some great voicework on show also, james gandolphini as carol, is a highlight.and very watchable, a film, that has a adult feel, but suitable for everyone,funny and touching
  • December 20, 2009
    Membingungkan, namun untuk menghilang sifat angry itu harus dengan kesabaran. jangan pernah melakukan hal yang diluar batas.
  • December 20, 2009
    This motion Picture is absolutely amazing!! Can we call it "Wizard of Oz" of this era? yes we do! Jonze made a work of art for all ages.
    This is a dream, this is a movie lover's dream.
  • December 20, 2009
    Je connais très peu le bouquin, même si certains personages me sont familier j'aurais été incapable dire de quoi ça parle. Donc c'est vraiment sans a priori que j'ai regardé l'adaptation ciné et franchement ça le fait. Les créatures font tellement vraies qu'on se dit que les effe...( read more)ts spéciaux traditionnels ont encore de l'avenir, et puis le gamin est (chose rare) excellent, il ne donne jamais l'impression de réciter et on n'a pas envie de le tuer en le voyant, un très bon choix ! C'est très beau à regarder et pourtant la plupart des paysages n'ont pas grand chose de paradisiaque, sauf peut-être à la fin. Une adaptation d'un livre pour enfant réaliser par un spécialiste des films "zarbi", c'est pas un mauvais mélange, ça en fait un film intelligent, drôle, triste, tout à la fois bref, une petite perle nostalgique sur l'enfance et l'imagination débordante dont on fait preuve à cette période, l'impression d'être incompris juste parce qu'on est plus petit, mais jamais à court d'idée ni de ressource ni d'imagination, choses qu'on peut perdre en grandissant, ce qui est dommage.
  • December 20, 2009
    if you don't value your time - watch it ;)
  • December 20, 2009
    Not a cutsie pixar film.
    Pretty faithful to the book as far as I can remember.
    Kinda a sad story that deals with all childhood (and adulthood?!) insecurities, emotions and worries and how that can make us do crazy things. In the end I guess it's about friendship and why people...( read more) need to have people who just accept them no matter what dumb things they do, say or feel...
  • December 20, 2009
    A sensational film, warm, charming, funny and sad. The best kids film for adults possibly ever! Perfectly help together by Max Records as the young lead.

    The film requires some imagination and leaves it open to the viewers own interpretation never delving too far into the mean...( read more)ing behind what is happening onscreen but leaving subtle hints along the way.

    Directed with ease by Spike Jonze in what is a transition from his usual style and complemented perfectly by Karen O who voiced majority of the soundtrack.
  • December 19, 2009
    A great film but the substance and the interpretation by Spike Jonze is something very young children, who are discovering this book now, won't get it at all.
  • December 19, 2009
    Great film. Real review later
  • December 19, 2009
    Je crois que je suis passé à côté du film. En fait, j'espérais un beau film sur l'enfance, qui soulèverait tous les grands thèmes essentiels (la difficulté d'être un enfant dans un monde d'adulte, la solitude, la rébellion, le passage à l'âge adulte, etc.), et qui me soulèverait ...( read more)par la même occasion. Mais au final, les images ternes du film font écho à une histoire pas toujours très claire, et on ne sait pas vraiment où Spike Jonze veut en venir. A aucun moment, et malgré une bande son parfaite et un acteur principal très juste, le film ne parvient à nous enflammer, et les maximonstres, bien que bien faits, ne sont jamais attachants (à part peut-être un peu Carol, le gros maximonstre tout rond de la bande-annonce). Du coup, on ressort du cinéma en se demandant à quoi sert ce film, s'il y a une morale, ce que les maximonstres représentaient vraiment, et on est bien content de se dire que les amis imaginaires que nous avions enfants étaient quand même nettement plus riches et fantastiques que ces grosses poupées, et que notre monde intérieur était infiniment plus complexe, magique et surréaliste.
  • December 19, 2009
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Expected: 11 December
    It?s been a loooong time coming, but Spike Jonze seems to think he?s finally cracked his adaptation of Maurice Sendak?s beloved kid book. A boy named Max enters a world of monsters who end up crowning him their king. It?s probably n...( read more)ot for the very little ones, but this darker fantasy should be just the thing for cold winter nights.
    Honestly the best film that I have seen of this year, without hesitation. At first i was weary of seeing this film, I didn't like the idea that it was made from a children's book and that the monsters looked a bit too much like puppets, looking back I now fully realise that you should NEVER judge a book by it's cover. It was honestly an amazing, moving & powerful film. I have never cried at a film since "My sisters keeper" a while ago, I thought this would be the last film that would make me cry. I can honestly not say how much I adored this film, I could really relate to it as well from when I was younger, at the beginning I felt like I was Max, and felt more like him throughout the whole film. If you are considering seeing this movie GO AND SEE IT! You are guaranteed not to be disappointed.
    Look out for: Catherine Keener as Max?s stressed mom
  • December 19, 2009
    with spike jonze you can always expect something different,this movie was also very special it treated the child in you and still manage to nurture adult in me.
    soundtrack was awesome and Max Records is someoneto be watched for!!
  • December 19, 2009
    I think its more of an adult movie than a children's movie. It touches on deeper things such as the little boy's behavior and his imaginative world where the wild things are. Its a great movie with a touching story.
  • December 19, 2009
    Amazing. Really beautiful. This is one of those books they said could never be made into a movie, especially since there's only about 300 words in the book. But Spike Jonze really outdid himself, and this is wonderful. A stunning spectacle, as well as some endearing characters an...( read more)d great performances. Wonderful.
  • December 18, 2009
    "A fairy-tale for grownups"
  • December 18, 2009
    Amazing Looking And Great Adaptation Of The Book. Jonze Brings His Unique Style While Still Keeping It Very Much In The Vein Of Sendak's Book. Max Records Is Perfect As Max And Couldn't Have Been Played Better. Keener Is Terrific As Always In A Small Role. Voice Cast Is Great As ...( read more)Well.
  • December 18, 2009
    WHAT AN ANNOYING AND STUPID LITTLE KID! couldn't watch through it, just got through 15 minutes. seriously, mother should've slapped the shit out of this little idiot.
  • December 18, 2009
    Sounds a nice easy movie to watch with a box of popcorn.
  • December 17, 2009
    A good film, looks gorgeous and has a cute soundtrack. It had more of a plot than I expected, but a couple of extra scenes were needed to resolve everything. This is one of those films that says a lot without needing dialogue.
  • December 17, 2009
    in all of us is a Wild Thing can not wait book is brilliant
  • December 16, 2009
    I remember reading the book Where The Wild Things Are as a child but I'm afraid the movie based on the book is plain boring. It looks impressive enough especially the creature designs and the sets but I just could not get into it at all. The soundtrack is one of the worst I've he...( read more)ard. I wouldn't subject any child to watch this drivel.
  • December 16, 2009
    I was a huge fan of the books as a young child but after watching this film I had no choice but to feel that it was a total let down, I was expecting so much more. It was visually stunning, the characters were somewhat true to the books and that's why I gave this 3 stars, everyth...( read more)ing else was really bad. The storyline was so terrible that I was lost from beginning to end. This is definetely an adult movie and not for children.It should have recieved a PG-13 rating because it was violent and with no positive lessons to be learned. There were too many gaps in the storyline and the ending made no sense.
  • December 16, 2009
    Excellent cinematography and beautifully scored. Unfortunately it is difficult to see past the absence of plot. I was disappointed.
  • December 15, 2009
    Thought it was pretty amazing even if all my other friends didnt like it. Story was pretty simple and didnt have much to it but the characters and the extremley good acting of the little kid max makes it a great movie. The monsters look great love how it wasnt CGI and they seemed...( read more) to use releastic costumes.
  • December 15, 2009
    A strange one this. On one hand it's a wonderfully made film, beautifully shot and scored, but on the other hand it's far too long and not much happens. I wouldn't call this a kid's film, as kids will be scared by the creatures, but then there's not really much going on for adult...( read more)s either. Kid goes to a fantasy world, plays with creatures, goes home again. An hour in and I was no longer really bothered about what Max was doing, I was more interested in trying to figure out whether the creatures were supposed to represent himself and people in his life, or aspects of his personality. Not that either option made it any more interesting. A real shame this one.
  • December 15, 2009
    I don't know how a 7-lined childrens book could turn into a full length movie. It's just wonderful though. The costumes are fantastic and the feel of the movie is strong. I couldn't believe how dark some of the messages were though, certainly not for kids. Jonze does another fant...( read more)astic job
  • December 14, 2009
    SEEN IT
    REVIEW COMING SOON
  • December 14, 2009
    loved this movie took kids to see it
  • December 14, 2009
    Not probably something that a lot of people were expecting from this, supposedly kids movie, but don't let that turn you away. The film is mature, and that has such depth. These aren't just simple furry creatures; they are treated like humans, these creatures are complex and fill...( read more)ed with emotion. Visually stunning, Spike Jonze has really created something that seems destined to be a classic.
  • December 14, 2009
    A brilliant indie film, however people need to know this isn't a kids film. This film is for adults who like to look back at their own childhood and remind yourself how brilliant it was to be a kid.
  • December 13, 2009
    This is based on a book, and I've heard it's very short. The movie however is actually quite long. The book is about a young boy named Max who has wonderfully imaginative rebellion about being sent to bed without any supper. I haven't read the book, but I know that it is very pop...( read more)ular. I think Spike Jonze has done a great job of expanding the book into a feature length movie.

    Max (Max Records) is a wild child. He lives with his single mother (Catherine Keener) and his teenaged sister Claire (Pepita Emmerichs). His is lonely boy with a very active imagination. He often has troubles with his loved ones. His sister does nothing when her friends crush his igloo while he was inside it. He then, out of anger, messes up her bedroom and destroys a special card that he made for her. One night, his mother invites her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo) over for dinner. Max puts on his wolf costume and as he sees his mother with her boyfriend - he starts to get bratty. He acts like an animal and demands that his mother feeds him. When his mother gets upset, he throws a tantrum and bites her. After this, he runs away. He finds a pond with a boat in it. He hops on and departs, travelling across the sea, and eventually ending up on an island. He explores the the place, and then meets a bunch of large creatures. He befriends these wild creatures as he becomes their king. Among the wild things are Alexander (Paul Dano), Douglas (Chris Cooper), a married couple Ira (Forest Whitaker) and Judith (Catherine O'Hara). But it's with Carol (James Gandolfini) and KW (Lauren Ambrose) that Max develops a special relationship. The screenplay for the film was written by the director Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers have done well in turning the book into a story with A LOT of depth. I think they've written this really well. What I loved most was characters and the relationships between them. The relationship that Max has with his siter and mother were fantastic. There was sense of love between him and his family members. When he's making a mess of his sister's bedroom, we see that she has placed the card that Max made for her on her table and that it hasn't been shoved into a cupboard or thrown away. That whole scene demonstrated the lovely relationship between the two siblings. Max's mother is always there for Max and he is always there for her when she needs cheering up. These relationships have been done really well, and they've also maintained that with the wild things. The relationship that develops between Max and Carol is wonderfully done. The characters are so likeable, especially the wild things. They've made them appear very human with their personalities. Carol, KW, Alexander - they all feel so human, and they've all got different personalities. Another clever thing they've done is relating the wild things to Max's life back home. Ira and Judith are always arguing and aren't very close - just like Max's seperated parents. Nobody ever listens to Alexander - Max doesn't have much of a say back at home. Carol makes a beautiful little world in his cave, but so easily destroys it out of sheer anger and frustration - just like how Max messed up his sister's room. They've done all these elments really well, and there's even a dark tone to the film, which I've heard was also in the book. This has been really well written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers.

    Max Record is superb, and all the acting at the start when he was at home was good. Max Records, Pepita Emmerichs and Catherine Keener all played their roles well and made the character relationships feel very real. I loved some of the voice acting. Paul Dano was great as Alexando - I loved the voice he put on. James Gandolfini was exactly the right choice for Carol. The winner is Max Records though. He was really good, he's a promising young actor.

    I'm glad they didn't decide to go full on with the CGI for the wild things. In this, they had people wear huge suits, and they used special effects for the facial expressions. This was a great idea because they looked more realistic.

    Some of the locations were breathtaking. The desert, the beach and the forest looked beautiful and the cinematography added to the effect. Some of the special effects also looked fantastic, and I loved the small world tha tCarol makes in the cave.

    This is a very imaginative film, and it has encouraged me to see Jonze's other films. It's visually stunning, and Max Records is such a good actor in this. It's been very well written, and the wild things are such wonderful characters. I did a cry at one stage in the movie coz it actually does get quite emotional. Loved this film. I had a great time with it. Highly Recommended!
  • December 13, 2009
    An audacious, ambitious tale about the complexities and instability of the emotions of children. Like the Wild Things, Max's emotions and the facets of his personality are playing, fighting, and arguing.

    Even beyond the depth offered there, you are treated to some of the most vi...( read more)sually stunning characters I've seen in a long time. The Jim Henson company should have awards thrown at them for this work. They truly can make anything come to life. That with the seamless CGI faces made for some stunning eye candy.

    But what REALLY brought them to life, for me, was the voice acting. The writing of this unruly clan / dysfunctional family was so realized already that the voices (specifically Gandolfini, Whitaker, and Dano) seemed so natural. Kind of like "of course he sounds like that."

    It is a treat. Deep, thoughtful, beautiful, and very personal. Much like Max, there are things I feel (about this film) that I can't quite articulate. Not what I expected, but it knocked me on my ass.
  • December 13, 2009
    Really loved this movie, Thought it was a really good take on the book and added layers to it (which needed to happen).
    Really had as charm to it and made me think back to my childhood, The Wild Things are amazing, they really saeem to live and breath which was needed as if they...( read more) were unconvincing then the whole movie would fall flat.
    I think there were a couple of moments when it became too quiet and slow and would of liked a bit more of a satisfifying ending but on the whole thought it was cinematic joy
  • December 13, 2009
    As I sat there from the beginning I just had a smile on my face. The score, Spike Jonze's style, the acting, the Indie feel...it is a blend that works. I wasn't going in to judge how well he adapted a 15 page children's book, its a friggin' Jonze film, its not Harry Potter. Howe...( read more)ver on that note I think he tapped into the audience that really matters, the kids who have now grown up. A kids film this isn't, there is some heavy themes in this film and it was brave of the studio to let him run with that, but I think it works. Its dark, its moody...its emo in some ways. I thought Max did a fantastic job, for a 9 year old he carried that film well. The CGI in the faces was perfect. I will be first in line to buy the DVD upon release but right now I'm making do with the superb soundtrack.
  • December 13, 2009
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  • December 13, 2009
    I was very disappointed by the movie indeed. For several reasons. I did not feel at any time in the movie that it was really going somewhere. no character motivations, except beign obnoxious and "wild", that is, random. Not plot lines, twists, red herings, or anything of that sor...( read more)t. I could not relate to the "Wild Things". I am not sure whether they were supposed to be cute, campy or the manifestation of Max's wild side, but I found thy got on my nerves pretty quickly and I did not enjoy seeing them on screen, which was kind of hard to avoid, considering that they make up 70% of the cast. The voice-overs were, as usual, way too American for my taste and I felt like watching an 80ies sitcom at times, only without the sentimental appeal and humour of course. The move is utterly depressing as well, as every "Wild thing" is pretty much a depressed borderliner, which I found a bit steep for a "childrens' movie". Spike Jonze had a hard time getting this movie by Universal, and had to re-shoot it for Warner and I can see why. The movie never really gets going and the script is lacklustre to the extreme. The Karen O. (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame) Soundtrack caused toothache. You caa tell by Spike Jonze's direction that he is used to making music videos. Not only because the movie lacks structure, but because he frequently launches into scenes, where the wild things and Max jump around, having fun, chasing around, falling over for minutes that feel like hours, with the soundtrack pondering in our poor ears. It's a subtle as an episode of Happy Days.

    I am not sure why so many friends of mine here at Flixster liked it, maybe I had different expectations.

    The only thing I credit Spike Jonze for is the decision to use good ole' Jim Henson puppets for the wild things instead of a computer do the work, kudos for that, although I does not save the rest of this botched flick.

    Id not recommend it.
    H
  • December 12, 2009
    Spike Jonze reinvents the tale as a rumination on primal anxieties. Brilliantly done on all levels- but why go so glum? Having said that, this is no mere cynical "reimagining" or "gritty update"; the sadness which pervades this film seems to come from an honest place of hard truths.
  • December 12, 2009
    It seems a lovly film
  • December 12, 2009
    For a childrens film I actually found this quite entertaing.
    The CGI effects and characters were good and you could really see the actual actors coming through.
  • December 12, 2009
    Been obsessed with the trailer to this movie for months so it had a lot to live up to.

    I think I'm one of the few children that never read this book, I certainly remmeber it being around, but for some reason never had it and never read it, so not really sure why I was so excit...( read more)ed about this film!

    It didn't let me down at all, SO beautifully filmed and with an amazing soundtrack that had everyone tapping their feet to.

    LOVED Max Records, he was so cute, a brilliant brilliant actor and really brought Max to life.

    It was sad, uplifting, funny - and I think a film that everyone can really relate to. It doesn't matter where you are, who you're friends with, who's around you and who cares about you, you can still feel incredibly lonely sometimes .. little boys and monsters alike.

    EVERYONE needs to go and see this film! Damn it, I want to see it again already!
  • December 12, 2009
    This will surely create many conflicting opinions. It is not a movie for children at all, which is strange as it is based on a hugely popular childrens book. My friend hated it, and a few cinema goers left before the end. I adored the visuals but found it a little too depressing ...( read more)at times. The fun elements didn't seem to last long. The character Max clearly has some problems, maybe he has ADD? Very dark in places, hence why it is NOT for children. Overall it was a great experience for me. Not my favourite of the year but it got to me enough to almost make me cry which I wasn't expecting
  • December 12, 2009
    "I could eat you all up, I love you so"
  • December 12, 2009
    Not really that interested but the kids want to see it.
  • December 11, 2009
    Strange... very odd... wish they had explained background a little more.
  • December 11, 2009
    if you got kids you will love it if not avoid like the plague

Summary


Where the Wild Things Are Summary