[5.50/10] Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Short review: Director Spike Jonze succeeds in one respect with "Where The Wild Things Are", but he fails utterly in another respect. Great production designs and costuming distinguish this avant-garde film, but an abysmal plot with narrative gaps and unsavory character like the abusive, juvenile delinquent protagonist who bites his mom on the shoulder and runs away detract from the film. The monsters in the film are marvelous, taken right from the books illustrations and very life-like. It is the direction and, especially, the cinematography, that is greatly lacking in "Where The Wild Things Are,". The film just does not have a good pace, nor good editing, and the photography is downright horrible, resulting in a movie that looks like an afterschool special on a tight budget. Faulty, also, is the decision to include some violent behavior, especially by Carol, and the overall 'dark' tone of the film. "Where The Wild Things Are" is a mediocre film, but it is a mediocre film with a lot of good stuff. Unfortunately, in this case, the bad outweighs the good.

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 73% (7.0/10)
• IMDb: 7.6/10