Movie: Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are is a good movie. The only problem is there is not an appropriate age to see this movie. It could be good for all ages but there would be something wrong for each age group. Originally the book is for kids ages 0-6 but the movie puts a little twist on this old story. This movie is too sad and violent for kids 1-8 years old. But then it is too childish for people of the ages 11-101. It may seem fine for viewers 10 years old to about 16 because it would remind them of their childhood from when they read the story. Having said that, there is no certain age group for this movie. The movie might seem very confusing, sad, violent or scary but it is worth an hour and forty-five minutes of your life.
It is a touching movie even though there are some down sides to it. It is also sweet how Max has a great relation with “The wild things”. The ending is when you get mixed feelings. So sad that Max leaves but so great that he goes back home to his family.
I would rate this movie a 5 1/2 out of 10.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:06 am
DN, this is a terrific review! As soon as your fellow book bloggers do their reviews (maybe you can nudge them?) I will put a post up at my educating alice blog so folks come to see them and, hopefully, comment. I think many adults are wondering what kids will think so this is fantastic!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Thank you for an honest review, no beating around the bush. It seems many adults reviewing this movie have felt they had to seek hard to find laudatory comments given this is a “beloved” children’s classic. I am glad to find someone to say what has been lurking in the shadows of many pieces written about the movie. Great job!
October 25th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Thank you for this review, Rebecca. I teach students in college. Friday, we went to see WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and will talk about the movie in class tomorrow (Monday).
One of my students said she heard a young child near her say “can we go, mom” during the movie. I agree with your assessment—the movie is not meant for young children.
I think too much time was spent on the “war” with dirt clods. Some people laughed when Alexander was knocked down. I was stunned when Carol pulled Douglas’s arm off. When Douglas is shown later with a twig arm, some people in the theater laughed.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Just a quick clarification — the review’s author’s name is not Rebecca (that is the first name of the author of the book she wrote about in the previous post). For security reasons she is only known as dn.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and honesty. I’ve seen a lot in my long life, still I found the movie disturbing. Like Debbie Reese who wrote above, sometimes I just thought this is much too sad. Not what I felt with the book.
October 25th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
This is the same point made by the reviewer on the Horn Book website: http://www.hbook.com/resources/films/wildthings.asp
I haven’t seen the movie myself, but I was interested in the parallels between the two reviews.
October 26th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Helen, I noticed that too.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
great job
October 28th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Just wanted to comment on the fact the movie would not be for young children 0-6 and okay for 7-111. There were sad times and funny times in the movie as well as many differences between the book and movie. In the middle I ound it a little lulling…..but then the book only had a few pages and the movie was 1.5 hrs. Overall it was a good movie and people did laughed when the twig arm showed up on Douglas, it was funny.
October 30th, 2009 at 6:48 am
DN, good review! I liked your point that the movie “is worth an hour and forty-five minutes of your life” because so often that’s what it comes down to for me. Debbie, I was also disturbed by the incident with Douglas’s arm and the laughter in the audience about it. It seemed sadistic. Maybe if Douglas had been a toy like Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story or even a cartoon it wouldn’t have bothered me so much, but the puppets seemed almost real to me by that point in the movie.
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November 8th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I’m a 13-year-old kid so I can provide another perspective. While I did think the movie was good I agree it’s not for young kids. Some of the parts were intense and disturbing, especially with Douglas’s arm. Even though he obviously wasn’t too shaken(That was my FAVORITE arm!), I found it a bit weird. When I saw him with his stick arm, I didn’t laugh or feel too bad, I just felt pity for him. Overall it’s a good movie.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Great job on this review! I love reading smart kids’ reviews of books and movies. I’ll be back for more.
I didn’t feel bad about Douglas’s arm — I thought it was funny too. I figured they’re from his imagination, and it didn’t cause any pain, and Douglas got a neat new, kid-imagination-like arm, a twig.
I was more worried about that poor raccoon in the stomach.
My 12-year-old daughter loved the movie, and we agreed we wouldn’t bring her 7 year old nephew. Much too intense for him.
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