Where the Wild Things Are - 7 stars out of 10

Where the Wild Things Are - 7 stars out of 10

I was very confused at the target audience for this movie.  Though it is a children's book, this movie was filled with drama and moved at a slow pace.  I could hear that the "fun" scenes where they're jumping around, throwing things, or knocking down trees appealed to the kids in the theater (based on their giggling), but those scenes were infrequent.  That being said, Spike Jonze did a great job of bringing this classic story to life.  The Wild Things were SO realistic and Max Records is extremely talented.  I enjoyed the uniqueness of the soundtrack, using childrens voices and (I assume) a made-up language.  This movie starts off at a great pace, creating an immediate connection with Max and making his trip to the island seem realistic.  Every motion and emotion of the Wild Things was realistic, with the scene of Carol crying being the most moving of them all.  My expectations for this movie were too high after hearing rave reviews from so many people, but it was an enjoyable movie, appropriate for kids and enjoyable for adults, and though I'm only giving it 7 stars I'd definitely recommend it.