Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Directed by Spike Jonze
Starring Max Records, Pepita Emmerichs, Max Pfeifer.

This movie was a visual treat but a let-down narratively. In my opinion it wasn't long enough and it didn't reach an emotional climax, it was over intellectual with no pay-off. The story is just getting interesting when suddenly it ends. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the film and was swept away by the elegant, eccentric, direction of Mr Jonze, it's just that the film is from a Mendack kids book with little or no exposition and the film is the same, so I ended up finding it hard to care for the characters. In short it left me cold.

I thought the talented VO actors did a good job wrangling with elements of dialogue to bring the Furry characters to life. Ok the message is good if very ham-fisted and simple. I guess I was expecting a lot with Jonze behind the helm. It should be said that the visual effects were outstanding, seamless, even if the characters had a Sesame Street naivety to them; the eyes were fantastic. The music is also very good. Really I guess I wanted more layers, more subtext in the story, more of a grand payoff, regardless its still a competent film and well worth seeing.

Some friends of mine swore this was the greatest film ever, they loved it. So I went in ready to be blown away. That's what I love about movies; we all get such different things from them.