My review of Where The Wild Things Are

[Traci Reed]

Well, we decided to go to a late showing tonight with the boys because we were so excited.

I must say this movie is visually STUNNING. It has gorgeous photography and cinematography and the wild things look EXACTLY like the book. The movie was poignant and touching, relatable and very much ADULT.

While there were entertaining things like dirt clod wars and humor that kept my kids interested, there's no doubt that this is a movie for adults. The themes are adult, the humor is adult, the whole thing is just not geared to a childlike level.

We went with my 5 and 3 year olds and my 9 year old nephew and even the 9 year old thought it was "meh" and "depressing".

I thought it was beautiful however, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who's had children. Because there's just a level of knowledge you have to possess as an adult, looking at your children growing up that's necessary, imo, to truly appreciate how Spike Jonze transformed the story into something that touched my heart.

As far as fear factor goes, there's one menacing part when he first meets the Wild Things and then toward the end there is a lot of chasing by an angry wild thing that could be scary to little kids (my boys ween't scared but my mom was..LOL!)

There's mild innapropriate adult themes such as the mother canoodling (mildly) on the couch with a suitor and what looks to be like wild things canoodling (mildly) at one point.

Also they said hell once. LOL

All in all, A+ for the bigguns, C for the lil guys.

[Misty Cato]

Thanks for the review Traci! I really appreciate it and look forward to seeing it at some point without the little ones.

[Mama-to-Elle]

Darn.. I was hoping to be able to take Elle to see it.. I guess I will have to wait until it comes out on video..

[Darcy Baldwin]

Thanks, Traci! I still can't wait to see it because I think it'll be a great movie, it just might be a semi date night for us big kids (when we send the kids to bed early with their own movie while Mom and Dad canoodle on the couch with their own

[rachaelsscraps]

I really wanted to take our 4-year old to see it... but I think I'll wait until it comes out on video so I can turn it off if need be. Thanks for your review

[nikkiARNGwife]

Good to know! Thanks Traci...you know I kind of wondered if it wasn't more for adults since WTWTA is such a book of our generation..well us 30-40 somethings lol

[Tracyfish]

This is good to know. L.J. has read the book several times, but the previews kinda seemed like it was for an older crowd. I think we'll wait for the DVD.

[Isabel]

Thanks for the review. I guess I will be waiting for the DV since, I don't think my kids will be ready for that yet

[Linz]

C doesn't scare easily... in fact, he doesn't scare at all, LOL. he hasn't even shown interest in the preview though, so i doubt we'll be seeing it.

[gracielou]

Thanks for the review. I could already tell from the preview I saw yesterday that my kids would be totally freaked out by the big monsters. I was even a little freaked out by them LOL! I have never read the book though so I have no idea what it's about.

[Emmy]

Thanks Traci - this is really helpful. The previews left me thinking that the themes were more for adults than kids - so glad to hear that confirmed. Sounds like a movie we'll netflix for us later.

[Traci Reed]

you're welcome darlings!

[1girl1boy]

thanks for the review! While I think Emma would be just fine, I'm guessing we'll just wait for the DVD release.

[Traci Reed]

I wanna be clear...I don't think the movie is BAD for kids in any way at all, I just think they won't understand it fully and will be a little bored.

[MissKim]

Ah. This makes me glad we went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I love Where the Wild Things Are (the book) and I hesitated to see the movie because I didn't want to mess up my love affair with the book. I'm not sure I'll see the movie at all. I'm not a big serious movie person. I don't like to get emotionally involved with a movie.

Cloudy was so good. I also love that book, but I went into it knowing that the movie only took the basic premise of the book (food weather) and developed a completely different story around it. It was a fun story, and Chesney was giggling the whole time.

[Stacey42]

We went and saw Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs yesterday. The boys wanted too see Wild things but it was sold out. I think it was just as well. They ran a long trailer for it before Cloudy and DS1 says it seemed 'a lot more sad than on TV'. So we'll probably wait and rent it later. Mostly because I am cheap. The sticker shock of 3 tickets $23, one each of the smallest sized popcorn, soda and box of candy $17!, as usual will keep me out of the theaters for months to come.

[crystalbella77]

Thanks for the review Traci! That sounds just like what I had thought really based on that interview I saw. I think the hubs and I will watch on DVD then.

[~Julie~]

Thanks Traci.. We were going to see this yesterday but decided against it after reading your review.

We also saw Cloudy with a chance of meatballs too and loved it!!