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In the promotion for this film, Maurice Sendak, the author of the book in which the film is based, said the only thing he wanted director Spike Jonze to do with the film was to respect children by not talking down to them. Jonze has done this with this sad, scary and sensational adaptation. Some younger kids might be too frightened to attend, but many will be thrilled by the adventure and relate to the mixed-up feelings of its characters. Like what Carol the Wild Thing says to Max the boy when they first meet, this guy gets it. The same can be said of Jonze.

Max (Max Record, THE BROTHERS BLOOM) is a rambunctious young boy who is confused and scared about all the changes happening around him. His mother (Catherine Keener, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) is having trouble with her job and she’s dating a new guy (Mark Ruffalo, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME), who doesn’t seem to get kids. His sister Claire (Pepita Emmerichs) is now into her friends and when Max ambushes them in a snowball fight, the older kids take it too far and destroy his igloo. Max begins acting out leading to him biting his mom and running away.

Dressed in a wolf-like costume, the angry boy finds a boat and ends up in the land of the Wild Things. When he first discovers their camp, Carol (James Gandolfini, TV’s THE SOPRANOS) is destroying all the huts, because he’s angry at KW (Lauren Ambrose, TV’s SIX FEET UNDER) for making new strange friends and leaving the camp. Max impresses Carol with his destruction skills. But the other Wild Things are unsure and want to eat Max until he convinces them that he is a king. Under the belief that Max will make things good again, Carol crowns Max their new leader. But Max wonders about the fate of the Wild Things’ other kings when the crown is pulled from a pile of bones.

Max leads the Wild Things in a host of horsing around, which is precarious for Max considering he’s a third the size of the Wild Things. Then he brings them together to build a massive fort. Douglas (Chris Cooper, ADAPTATION) is Carol’s right-hand man, an industrious Wild Thing. Ira (Forest Whitaker, LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) is modest and great at punching holes in things. His companion Judith (Catherine O’Hara, BEST IN SHOW) is the opposite — she’s sarcastic and a self-described downer who doubts Max’s rule. Alexander (Paul Dano, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE), who resembles a goat, is the smallest Wild Thing and believes no one ever listens to him. The Bull is a large, making his silence quite intimidating.

For the Wild Things, the visual effects artists place digital faces on costumed humans. The effect is marvelous, giving the characters a real weight in the world while providing them with touching performances. Carol is the most complex of the Wild Things. His sensitivity makes him act out in violent ways. His feelings mirror those of Max, who sees how much Carol creates discord among his fellow Wild Things. While he boasts to the Wild Things that he has a shield to keep the sadness out, Max can’t change their nature and soon their idyllic fort plans turn sour. It’s tough being king.

It’s tough being a parent too. The parents in the crowd will certainly connect to the subtly of that message. Jonze could have made the overall themes cut and dry. The world is full of Wild Things and your parents are only trying their best. But he’s too smart to present that message in simple platitudes and speeches. Through the emotional complexity of Max and the Wild Things, he accomplishes something much more moving. During his time in charge, Max gains more than power, but perspective. He sees the consequences of the Wild Things’ actions. He sees his mother as a people. And most importantly, he sees his own role in his life. It’s one of the most important lessons anyone can learn. In the end, he has some of the answers to the title of his story.