Jonze’s ‘Wild Things’ fun, but not wild
By Phillip Sayblack
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Based very loosely on the popular children’s book, the movie adaptation of the book takes more than its share of liberties. But being that the original book is so short, the only way to make the movie work was to change so much around.
The changes start early on as Max actually physically runs away in the movie, rather than running to his room, and escaping into a fantasy world. This adaptation makes the Wild Things’ island a real place, rather than make believe. While this adaptation was a stretch, making the Wild Things’ island a real physical place made for some beautiful cinematography. The scenes throughout Max’s adventure were outstanding. It was “wild” (pun fully intended) to see winter on one side of the island, spring on another, and even a desert on another part.
Along with the cinematography, those who created the Wild Things are to be applauded as well. It is next to impossible to tell if they were actually physical characters, CGI creations, or a combination of both. Carol, and the other Wild Things are very reminiscent of Jim Henson’s famed Muppets in how they were made. It would be no surprise if those who craeted the the Wild Things perhaps worked for Henson at one point in their careers.
Carol is a very good mirror image of Max in this story. His actions, and belief that he is misunderstood, are much like Max, which explains the bond formed between the pair. When Carol feels that he’s been deceived and betrayed by Max, that is kind of how Max feels about his own life back at his own home, which led him to run away to the island. There is a point in this movie involving Carol that would validate it receiving a “PG” rating. It might lead some younger audiences to be somewhat scared. The Wild Things themselves are not scary. But them talking about eating their king, and the scene between Carol and Douglas could have helped that rating along.
The big screen adaptation of this classic children’s book tells a wonderful story of friendship and family. The overall story is more than a little different from the original book. The cinematography and character design are a plus to the movie, too. Despite all of this, it is unlikely that the movie will manage to be a hit for later generations. It may set a certain bar for its storytelling, and production values. But considering certain darker elements of the story, it likely won’t be a hit for later generations, unlike the book from which it was adapted.
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