WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE REVIEW

Spike Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers had the daunting task of taking an award-winning children's book that contained just ten sentences, expand it into a full length feature film, and remain faithful to the spirit and the tone of the source material. Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are has been capturing the attention of kids since it was first published in 1963. It's a gorgeous piece of work and one that seemed destined to live on only in print.

But Jonze and Eggers performed the near impossible, and Where the Wild Things Are - the film version - is a captivating, visually stunning production that fleshes out Sendak's universe while remaining completely faithful to the book.

Sendak's rich fantasy world of Where the Wild Things Are makes the leap to the big screen with its wondrous creatures looking exactly as they did on the pages of Sendak's book. Jonze opted to go with actors in oversized costumes rather than CGI creatures, and it's a decision all Where the Wild Things Are fans should be thankful for. Max, the lead human character, can interact with the creatures, lean on them, even ride on top of one, and it wouldn't have looked as true and genuine had Jonze opted for CGI all the way. Instead, Jonze blended live-action state-of-the art puppetry with computer animation, digitally enhancing each creatures face to make each more expressive, and make the facial movements closer to human reactions. Seeing Sendak's illustrations spring to life with real personalities is just breathtaking to watch and incredibly moving.

Douglas (voiced by Chris Cooper), Max Records, and KW (voiced by Lauren Ambrose).

The Story

Max (Max Records) is a nine year old boy with a vivid imagination who's going through a rough time at home. He's ignored by his sister, picked on by her friends, and even his overworked mom (Catherine Keener) loses patience with him when he acts like a beast while wearing his wolf suit. Max thinks no one is on his side after he's sent to bed without any dinner, and, without putting any thought into it, he runs away from home in the black of night.

After sailing across a storm-tossed sea and climbing a steep cliff, Max finds himself in a forest filled with strange creatures. These huge beasts are intensely emotional, completely unpredictable, and Max finds them totally irresistible. The Wild Things need a leader and Max, a sharp boy for only being nine years old, proclaims himself a Viking king. The creatures immediately crown him their king, and Max feels as though he belongs with this bizarre tribe of towering beasts more so than he belongs with his human family. His family ignores him, misunderstands his intentions, but these Wild Things consider him a like-minded fellow. But after time spent with his new adopted family, Max begins to understand that being a king is hard work and that dealing with his new family is just as difficult as figuring out his relationships with his mom and older sister.

The Cast

Each Wild Thing has been given a unique personality by Jonze and Eggers, and each Wild Thing's voice perfectly matches that personality. Carol (James Gandolfini) destroys things, changes his emotional state on a dime, and is the de-facto leader of the group. Douglas (Chris Cooper) is Carol's helpful and friendly rooster sidekick. Alexander (Paul Dano) is a goat no one ever listens to, and K.W. (Lauren Ambrose) is gentle, caring, and seen as a rebel because she is open to exploring her universe and doing things with creatures outside of her own group. Judith (Catherine O'Hara) is an eternal pessimist, the group's naysayer who's viewed as a real drag. Her partner, Ira (Forest Whitaker), is much more easygoing though he loves to punch holes in trees with his bulbous nose. Each creature represents someone in Max's life (or Max himself), and each Wild Thing is beautifully brought to life by the actors inside the suits and the ones who lend their voices to the characters.

Max Records in 'Where the Wild Things Are.'

Catherine Keener is terrific though little seen as Max's hardworking, single mom. But it's on young Max Records' shoulders that this film lies, and the kid superbly handles the load. Records could quite possibly be the best young actor to come along in years. He's able to convey complex emotions without overplaying his hand. It's just a fantastic performance from this newcomer to feature films.

The Bottom Line

Where the Wild Things Are is only Spike Jonze's third film. With this and his previous two films, Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, Jonze has shown he has a unique style and vision, one that stands out from the pack.

Jonze has done what most people assumed was impossible: He brought Sendak's Where the Wild Things to the screen in such a faithful adaptation that Sendak has fully endorsed the final cut. And if the author believes Jonze did justice to his book, then who are we to argue?