Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Starring: Max Records (seriously), Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper
Directed by: Spike Jonze (who I actually like, usually)
Synopsis: Max is the most annoying brat on the planet, so he puts on a cat costume and sails to an island of big monsters who all need to be on Lexapro.
Best part: When Carol gets angry at Max and almost kills him.
(Wow this is awful.)
Worst part(s): Well, you have the beginning, then the middle, and then, mercifully, the end.
Best/worst line: “I’ll eat you up!” But it never happens!!
Nudity: The Wild Things wear NOTHING! And are apparently sans-genitals.
Overall: According to Google’s home page, where I get all my news, today is author Maurice Sendak’s 85th birthday. I assume he’s still alive. Or maybe not. I guess that’s something I could look up on Google. Anyway, what better way to honor the man than by reviewing the film adaptation of his greatest work? Holy god is this movie atrocious. It’s nearly unwatchable and an absolute chore to sit through. First of all, the characterization of Max is horrible. If you don’t outright hate this kid then you must love it when tarantulas punch you in the tongue. The kid seems like he’s around 10 or 11 years old, but he’s wearing cat costumes and throwing temper tantrums and biting people like he was raised by cats. But I’ve seen a documentary about feral children and they were much less annoying than Max. I really just wanted the Wild Things to eat him, and they tease you that they’re going to do it, but they never do because they’re all mentally ill. And speaking of the Wild Things, the voice acting sucks. They’re supposed to be huge monsters, but they sound like your algebra professor. And the movie is just depressing. There’s nothing fun about it at all. Even when Max is having fun for five minutes, it just seems weird and sad. So there’s no reason to watch this at all, especially if you’re a fan of the book, because it will just make you confused and angry.
Score: 1 annoying brat (out of 10)
Hard Ticket to Home Video 
I just watched this for the first time this weekend (and have never read the book) and my god, it was the most depressing movie ever. I DID not understand why this Daemon like kid got freaking cake at the end either. WTF?
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Yeah right? “Hey good job running away from home, how about some cake?”
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Sounds wonderful! Is this one me and Scrotey should watch and podcast about?
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The podcast would just be either you two snoring or arguing about the proper way to tie a noose.
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Good review. I remember when it first came out and didn’t think much of it, but I actually got a chance to re-watch it and I have to say it’s very smart. It depicts the story as being a movie about being a child, rather than being just for children. Very brave step, but one I would totally expect to come from Jonze.
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Unique premise, maybe, but horrendously flawed execution. But I guess he did show what it was like being a child–a horrible, whining, bratty child.
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Lmao! Love this review. Even though I actually liked the movie… 😉
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What did you like about it?
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Good question. Um… I liked the look of it. And, um… I like the book. And it looked cool. And… Shit, you’re right. It’s kind of stupid. 😉 But I didn’t hate it!
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Maybe you’d hate it more if you watched it again? 🙂
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I can’t agree with you more and I question your sanity for even finishing this pitiful turd. I stopped watching 23 minutes in.
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I think I watched like 7 minutes then did something else while it was on in the background.
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So you’re saying I dodged a bullet when my girlfriend suggested watching this? Awesome!!
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Yeah, this movie would not get you laid in any way.
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Still haven’t seen this Brian, was this the documentary on John Goodman’s coming out party?
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That was called “Goodman Seeking Good Man.”
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Eh ohhhh!!!!!!! [in my best Ed McMahon voice]
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That sounded nothing like Ed McMahon.
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In his skinny years.
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Glad to see you slate this one Brian. I wasn’t a fan either. Normally I like Jonze too but this was a poor move on his part.
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There seemed to be a series of bad choices here.
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I really hate a shitty adaptation of a book I love. If this was just a shitty movie, then meh whatever. It happens right? But when you try and bring to life a story that millions of people love and you do a total faceplant, it really sucks.
This probably would have been a lot better if it had been totally animated. Some “Finding Nemo” Pixar magic applied to this story probably would have saved the day!
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It should have been a 30-minute CGI cartoon. They made a feature-length movie out of a 48-page book and didn’t even include some parts of the book, like when Max meets a sea monster.
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Maurice Sendak the author of the book really liked Jonze’s adaptation of his book. It was a task to adapt this 9 page book into a feature length movie and I think Jonze and Dave Eggers did a good job at making us see the way some kids are versus the way we think they are. Kids are not always happy as most other movies portray them. They have fear, self doubt and sometimes anxiety. Max is going through issues of his own with a lack of not having a dad or any friends. He’s a bit afraid that his mom is spending more time with her new boyfriend then she is with him and so he acts out. Not the best thing to do but he’s just a kid. When he goes off into the island each of those monsters represent a part of his emotional troubles. When he leaves at the end, its him comming to grips with his troubles and learning to leave that all behind. This was a brave brave choice especially for a kids film and I commend Jonze for this effort. I can see why many others hated this flick, but I was impressed.
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Thanks for the comment, you make good points and have a nice take on it. But he doesn’t have friends because he’s a little asshole. I know a lot of people who have divorced parents and they never wore a wolf costume and bit their mom. That’s the main reason the movie doesn’t work because the kid is SO unlikable.
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