Where the Wild Things Aren't

Just wait till you see what Spike Jonze has done to “Where the Wild Things Are.”
On second thought, don’t.
Half of the pages of the beloved children’s book were illustrations of the “wild rumpus” that ensued once the main character, Max, met the wild things and became their king. Somehow, Jonze found a way to turn the sententious children’s story into a 101 minute feature film.
There is no doubt the scenery and the puppetry were amazing. The Wild Things looked exactly the way we all remember them from Maurice Sendak’s cross-haired illustrations. The scenery was gorgeous and beautifully filmed, but it looked more like my back yard than the colorful jungle fantasy world that Sendak created. And the desert? Don’t get me started.
Half-way through the film, I desperately wanted to quote young Max by shouting, “NOW STOP!” I wish I could have borrowed his sadness shield.
Then I got it: This is one of those read between the lines moments. Well, there’s no “between the lines” here. There is literally one line per page, if that. The simplicity of the book is what made it a classic. Did Sendak want us to read between the lines?
The story is about a boy who is sent to his room (without supper!) for being a jerk to his mother. While in his room, his fury excites his imagination, and from the posts of his bed grow ancient and exotic trees. He sails away to where the wild things are, convinces them not to eat him and becomes their king. He then grows tired and hungry, and returns to his bedroom, where there was a hot bowl of soup waiting for him. The moral of the story is clear enough: we get mad and we get scared and sometimes we want to escape, but no matter what we do, our moms still love us. Fantastic!
But the film incorporates all forms and fashions of fear, confusion and fury: parents dating, and aversion to frozen vegetables, sibling rivalry, arms being ripped off, THE SUN EXPLODING!
Did I read a different book?
The movie makes sure you are on Max’s side from the beginning, when he is hurt in a snowball fight. Should we be on Team Max? Hell no. He’s jealous, controlling, disrespectful and rude. There is nothing about this movie character that we should like. Even in the book, after Max lies to the wild things, he still leaves them without a king the moment he gets hungry! What a little punk! I put Max in the category of the O’Doyles in Billy Madison or maybe Scut Farkas in A Christmas Story, because even when these bullies are getting theirs, you don’t feel bad for them because they are such ass holes.
The only character I feel bad for is Max’s mother, because she has to deal with that mess of a child. But wait-- is it her fault? Is Jonze making a parenting message here?!
Oh and don’t forget about the wild things, who have deal with the disaster that Max made of their little island and their little pack.
It’s clear that he’s trying to make some sort of message, we just have no idea what it is.
I would never make a child sit through this film, because I imagine they would be terrified. And bored. To those who say it’s not a children’s movie, I say get real.
I give the costumes and computer graphics five big stars. As for the content, well, I’m not sure I found any that made sense. The next time some quirky director is looking to make an abomination (I mean, a message) of a film, we can only hope that they stay away from the classics.