Spike Jonze's take on a kids movie is something most film fans have been waiting a long time to see. That is of course a double-edged sense of anticipation because it has also taken years for a finished version of the film to hit the screens following rumours of mixed reactions to screenings and supposed reshoots. What we finally get is an audacious and single-minded take on a children's classic which will have some appeal to parents and young ones alike, but struggle to be loved by either.

The film tells the story of Max (records), a rambunctious and sensitive boy who feels misunderstood at home and escapes to where the Wild Things are. Following an argument with his mother, Max runs away in his trademark furry outfit and sets sail on a stormy night. Max lands on an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions.

The Wild Things are a motley crew of disparate characters who desperately long for a leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule. When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy. The friendships and bonds the Wild Things have are already on rocky foundations and are further troubled when the new King is thought to favour the brashest of the group, Carol (Gandolfini). When Max suggests they build a fort to protect themselves from outsiders things get worse with the volatile Carol bickering with everyone and threatening the moments of stability that punctuate the general air of playtime.

Soon Max has to decide if he does want to stay, constantly worrying about being found out with his claims to the throne being based on a series of increasingly unlikely stories.

Essentially you are thrust head first into the story from the viewpoint of a lively boy who is allowed to let his imagination run wild. That would also be an accurate description of Spike Jonze's take on a paper thin book with precious little guidance to work from.

The long production and post production period is evident in some of the action (i'm pretty sure Mark Ruffalo signed up to do more than one line of dialogue). Max Records is brilliant as the precocious and energetic youth and his scenes early on with Catherine Keener give a wonderful mother/son dynamic which should have been expanded on. Records again excels when forming an unlikely friendship with Wild Thing Carol, but again the relationship is left up in the air. It's not that we needed a play by play resolution but anything approaching closure would have been nice.

The visuals are a standout however with the Wild Things giving off the sense of being genuinely 'alive'. It's hard to tell if they are CGI or Animatronic or even 'a guy in a furry suit'... this is a good thing though as whatever the joins maybe, they are seamless. The half-built fort also looks stunning and the locations constantly evoke the a sense of wonderment that the film strides to achieve.

Some have complained about the deliberately shaky camera work and overall focus of the film, and although it is by no means a classic it is an entertaining and interesting take on the genre.

Rating: ***

Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker and Chris Cooper
Director: Spike Jonze
Written by: Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers
Novel by: Maurice Sendak
Runtime: 100mins
Certificate: PG
Release date: 11th December 2009

"Where the Wild Things Are" will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Soundtrack Album is available on DGC/Interscope Records.

Review by: Cassam Looch

For more sophisticated fun check out bizarre animation 9 and the fun-filled Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs.