"Where the Wild Things Are" **1/2 (out of four): Spike Jonze's beautifully audacious and sadly flawed film brings Maurice Sendak's much-beloved, nine-sentence children's story to vivid, CGI-enhanced life. If only he had kept it a short story.
Full disclosure: I've only read "Where the Wild Things Are" - Maurice Sendak's much-beloved, nine-sentence children's story - one time. And that was about four days ago. It just wasn't part of my childhood bookshelf. Don't judge. That being said, I may be the best (or worst) audience for Spike Jonze's beautifully audacious and sadly flawed film adaptation. On the one hand, I don't have a deep-rooted affection for the source material, so I don't approach the original text with the unabated reverence that many do. On the other hand, I don't have a deep-rooted affection for the source material, so I don't entirely understand the veneration in the first place. That being said, Mr. Jonze has done yeoman's work bringing Mr. Sendak's wonderfully edgy vision to vivid, CGI-enhanced life. If only he had kept it a short story.
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"I don't have a deep-rooted affection for the source material, so I don't entirely understand the veneration in the first place."
Holla! I thought it looked nice. I know a guy who has images from the book tatoo-ed on his arm. There's no story there though. It's a little like making a movie about a poem. Given Spike's style... might not be for me, but I bet it'll have some nifty looks.
I saw it yesterday. I do have deep-rooted affection for it the story...but even I thought it was just a bit longer than it needed to be. I really loved the ending, though.