For Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers to have crafted this brave, beautiful adaptation based on a children’s book nine sentences in length is an astonishing accomplishment, one that proves original author Maurice Sendak, who hand-picked Jonze as director, correct in his assertion that a suitable translation could not have been achieved under the guidance of anyone else.
Jonzes’ fantastical, anarchic take on the story of a lonely boy who regularly retreats into the preferable world of his imagination is honest yet playful at heart, and likely to impress even the books’ most loyal fans. Prompted by a fight with his mother Max escapes to ‘where the wild things are’, the wild things being giant creatures (manifestations of his desire for acceptance) who declare him king. Max Records, an endearing, enjoyably mischievous presence throughout, is perfectly cast as his name-sake and an upbeat score supplied by Karen O superbly compliments his youthful enthusiasm.
