Few things are as universally celebrated as the magic of childhood. It is supposed to be a time of infinite possibilities and carefree innocence and—a time we all look back on fondly. However, if we take the time to consider it at length, most of us find that our childhoods were not completely idyllic. Loneliness, confusion and frustration are common as we struggle with family situations that are often beyond a child’s comprehension.
“Where the Wild Things Are” is heavily influenced by this grittier, more realistic view of childhood. Adapting Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book proved to be a difficult battle director Spike Jonze and writer David Eggers, as studio heads were worried that their interpretation would be too dark and depressing for what they envisioned to be the film’s young target audience. Instead of compromising his vision and making a stereotypical children’s movie, Jonze has crafted a masterful film of childhood for adults.
Because the source material has very little in terms of a plot, the film expands greatly on the book’s central themes. It follows Max, played by talented newcomer Max Records, a rambunctious young boy living with his single mother and older sister. One night, after being traumatized by an encounter with his sister’s friends, Max throws a fit when he feels his mother, who is on a date, is ignoring him. Played by Catherine Keener, who crafts a memorable and highly believable performance out of limited screen time, she yells some hurtful words at Max in her frustration. He runs away, finds a small boat and sails out to the island “where the wild things are.”
As in the book, Max manages to subdue the violent impulses of the wild things and makes himself their king. Jonze fleshes out the individual personalities of the wild things and portrays them as a dysfunctional family. Unlike his home life, where Max is unable to control his mother and sister, as king of the wild things he promises to bring happiness to the kingdom. Unfortunately, he finds that the complex, volatile relationships that exist between the wild things make this a difficult promise to keep.
While Jonze does a skillful job of creating a nuanced plot out of a 300-word book, it is arguably the film’s truly spectacular visuals that are most captivating. Actors in stunning costumes created by the Jim Henson Company portray the wild things, voiced by notable actors like James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker and Lauren Ambrose. The computer-generated expressions were added later, as animatronics were not enough to create highly realistic, expressive faces. The film makes use of the striking Australian landscape, allowing the varied terrain to underscore the scene’s emotional content.
As evidenced by the number of “Wild Thing” themed costumes at last week’s Halloween festivities, the film has been successful in finding an older audience. More than any other group, it seems its themes resonate highly with college-aged students. With childhood beginning to become a distant memory and as our relationships with our parents change, we are most likely to see youth through the same lens as Jonze. “Wild Things” allows us to reexamine our childhoods and realize that, beyond knowing that we can never relive that time, we shouldn’t necessarily want to.
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