Watching this latest adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, It’s often hard to remember that this is only Spike Jonze third film, such is the assured individuality on display here, his reputation for quirky filmmaking intact as he avoids the pitfalls of adapting such slight source material, and produces a delicate and considered work that may be heavy going for family audiences, but contains enough layered material to reward attentive viewing by young and old alike.
Make no mistake, this may have a young protagonist, but it’s not necessarily a children’s film, so it’s hard to say if this will crack the box office that has previously eluded the director despite a stellar cast and fantastically realised visuals. Throughout, Jonze utilises a floating, handheld camera style that adds a dreamlike, mischievous quality to proceedings, peeking around tree stumps and floating across woodland clearings eerily, the amazing Wild Things beautifully silhouetted against a background of perpetual autumn.
It’s beautiful and apt, dealing with the death of childhood and the struggles for acceptance as Max – an excellent and affecting Max Records – a boisterous but lonely child, deals with feelings of isolation, his single mother unable to fully bond despite her best efforts, and retreats to an imaginary island where he is the centre of attention, becoming king of the eponymous Wild Things.
Indeed, once we reach the Wild Island, Jonze’ auteurship is given full reign, as he crafts a series of vignettes, haltingly exploring each of the central characters both human
Weaving tales of amazing powers, Max asserts his control over the creatures, particularly James Gandolfini’s leader Carol, despite the protestations of Judith – strongly played by Catherine O’Hara who pulls off the difficult trick of playing grumpy but likeable without resorting to caricature. Predictably it’s not long before his promises of happiness for all soon unravel, and the creatures relationships with them, revealing doubt and frailty, and with them a very grown up acceptance of reality.
One of the main draws here are the Wild Things themselves, animatronic costumes given a very subtle CGI makeover, they appear fluid and sometimes unnervingly emotive – to the extent that this may be too frightening for some younger children – the decision to use real actors instead of entirely computer generated characters grants the film a certain solidity, it’s rough edges making it all seem far more concrete and strangely believable, an effect compounded by genuine emotions with real consequences – just like real life in fact – while a rhythmic, thumping score by Yeah Yeah Yeah’s frontwoman Karen O adds a rollicking tone that drives the narrative along, the overall effect being one of perfectly represented child’s play on screen.
Given the delayed release and troubled production history, Where The Wild Things are is a genuine pleasant surprise, balancing the arthouse with mainstream to produce a film that won’t be to everyones taste, but for a few catching it at the right age, will be very special indeed.
