Review of Where the Wild Things Are (1975) by Zachary C — 24 Mar 2013

I really didn't know what to expect when I went to see this movie for the first and only time, back when it first came out. I hated this movie when I came out of it. But the way I saw this movie was probably not how other people viewed it.

I mean the kid for instance: He was one of the most annoying, bratty and just unlikeable kids put in front of a camera. There was one scene where I could understand how he felt. (because it has happened to me on multiple occasions) The scene where he was playing in the snow with his sisters boyfriend and the boyfriend goes a bit too far and he does he doesn't even apologize for it.

And then the kid goes upstairs and destroys everything in his sisters room. I would have done the same thing when I was a kid. That was the only scene which I could actually relate to that kid. All the other scenes I just felt like he was acting like a spoiled little brat.

But that's not why I hated this movie. The biggest problem I had with this movie is that Spike Jonez just couldn't seem to make up his mind on how the atmosphere of the movie should be. The atmosphere switched from funny to serious too quickly too many times.

For example there was a scene where the main monster ripped off another monsters arm and the monster with the arm ripped off replied "That was my favorite arm!" (I'll bet you anything that if that wasn't said this movie would have been rated PG-13) this line was meant to be humorous, but I hate that it was being said right as a dark scene was unfolding and there were so many more of these kinds of scenes and it annoyed the hell out of me that it never stayed the same long enough.

So to Spike Jonez the next time you make a movie make up your god damn mind on how the atmosphere of the movie should be.