The book is my all-time favorite children's story and still holds up as a wonderful tale well into my adulthood. So forgive me if I take it a little personally when (the normally competent and entertaining) Spike Jonze comes along and turns it into a complete bore. On top of being a snoozer, the world of the Wild Things is as stale and spartan as you can get... the complete opposite of the lush world created by Maurice Sendak. There are also moments of scariness that I don't believe young children should see despite it's questionable PG rating. So yeah, it's a kids' movie that's unsuitable for younger kids. Good call on that one, Spike. Altogether a huge, thudding disappointment that I would like to say would have Mr. Sendak rolling in his grave... except he's still alive... and he has a producer credit in the film. So an unfortunate big thumbs down to one of my literary heroes. :(....… Expand

It is rubbish, I'm sorry to people that liked it but I really didn't enjoy the film. I was looking forward to going to see the film at the cinema but I was really dissapointed, I am a fan of the book but it isn't based on the book at all. I really disliked it.

This is the most unrelentingly depressing film I have seen in decades. The producers have completely missed the point of the charming and whimsical book on which it it based and created a film that is very disappointing. Perhaps those who have given good reviews have not read and loved Maurice Sendak's original version--but for anyone who has read this to children at bedtime, the film version is a total failure and major disappointment.… Expand

If you are a fan of this book, or if your kids are just now becoming fans of the book, please do not let them watch this movie, it will ruin the book for them. This movie does no justice to it. The only way you could watch this movie and maybe enjoy it a bit is if you had nothing better to do and you rented this movie. Otherwise stay way.

There is comfort in having a small number of people elevated in one's opinion. For any thinking person that number is never very large. It is very disheartening when one of that number plummets in our esteem. And, in this case, in such a way. It was a betrayal from someone I have held in this position from my youngest days. Where the Wild Things Are was art, and there was a magic to that story in particular. And he lied right to me. I was extremely dubious when I heard it was being made into a full length live action film. But I heard good reviews, and I saw the man himself interviewed, and as incredulous as I normally am (How can you tell when someone is lying? Their lips are moving.), he seemed sincere when he said the film faithfully captured the spirit of the book.

Shall I catalog how the film missed the essence of every single character in the book? Not only missed, made them the opposite of what their nature was. Max was not a wild, nearly psychotic child. He was not having gleeful snowball fights. He was a lonely, isolated boy who was neglected by his parents, and that was why he sailed away. He was a normal boy, engaging in normal behavior for a child, to which his mother responded in a disproportionate manner. Her detachment was illustrated in the book by having her always out of sight. She was not an overwhelmed mother doing her best with an out of control child. Now the monsters, who in the book were child-like in spite of their size and power, were, I suppose, sort of depicted in this way. But they weren't bratty, petulant, whiny, spoiled children, one of whom, for some unknown reason, has the voice of a Mafioso. That was as much as I could take; I would not finish the film. I suppose Roald Dahl would have had a similar impact if he had allowed that Tim Burton abomination to have been created, and then said right to my face that if was a faithful adaptation. Whoever the rights to that story passed to after his death should be ashamed of themselves, but I choose to believe that Roald would not have sold out in that manner.

Shame on you, Mr. Sendak.… Expand

This movie was an unfocused, boring mess. Just because the director backlights practically every shot does not make it emotionally profound nor does it support any filmic metatexts. Key problems: 1. The monsters have regular adult voices, and these voices are used for complaining all the time thus crushing any form of escapism 2. Max is too old to be behaving like a 4 year old- he comes across as a kid with ADHD 3. The film is incoherent and formless with no building action, climax or resolution- if Warner Bros. wanted an art film, they could have gotten Godard to make it- and better 4. The film is political in the sense that if you don't like it you are vilified as a soulless conservative just because a committee of granola crunching potheads thought they were making a profound film. Don't ever bother watching this film. Read the book instead 40 times in the 101 minutes running time of this adaptation (and I use the term loosely) and it will be time better spent.… Expand

Overrated slow-paced mess of a film that is dull for adults and children alike. Half my group of friends feel asleep. The moral of the story seems to be that running away and coming back means that bad behaviour is rewarded. Psycho-babble does not a deep film make.

I just saw the film, Where the Wild Things Are, last night. There were moments that I really liked in the film but even in those moments I felt frustrated in that the movies main character had never been fully develope much less a sense of exceptionality in his life experience. Even when I tried to appreciate the setting and creation of the wild animals I was aware of my boredom. And as to the insights into childhood, I found those self-indulgent. One scene stood out to me. Before running away, the boy stands on the kitchen table saying "Feed me woman" and asserts more than he knows only to find that he is more terrified with his mothers remark, "What is wrong with you? Maybe he knows in a post Freudian world living with a single Mom and watching his Mom flirting with her boyfriend. His answer is to set sail and find a new family where he can be King and in becoming King he becomes tamed. I like the insight but a whole film?… Expand

Anyone who rated this movie above a 2 should seek help! Did Jones even have a script it seems the Actors were thrown on to set and Spike said, Ok say something! They seemed lost thru the whole movie, if Spike Jones would have just stuck to the book it might have been good instead we got this, I want my money back!

First: Why did so many reviewers suggest this might be a kids' movie? It's a kid's movie for your wounded inner child. Spike Jonze said he wanted to capture how it was to be nine years old. Well, he succeeded, and maybe that's why I hate this movie so much. Nine for me meant divorce, yelling parents, separation, uncertainty and anxiety. I read books like "Wild Things" to imagine a place beyond all that. But the stressful home Max leaves (like mine) is Oz compared to the mopey, violent, joyless land of emo muppets he lands on. There is nothing bright or delightful about this world or this movie and Max is never in command of anything, but always fearful and sad. And yes, that was my nine, but that doesn't mean it makes a good movie. Especially when nothing happens, and for a long time. Masking the misery with indie-star voices and achy hipster tunes doesn't make it gold. "Wild Things" is painful and boring.… Expand

I think it says something that there is such a large rift in opinions about this movie. Some people regard it as a genius work of child-like art, while others are clearly underwhelmed by the drama. When there are so many 10's from critics and fans, there is also an overabundance of 0s to 4s with many charging that it may be the worst film they've ever seen. I admittedly was not the least bit impressed with the lead character, who was not charming or endearing, but quite annoying and rebellious. And, I must reiterate the idea that there doesn't seem to be a clear moral to the story. The kid didn't appear changed or better at the end, just calmer [for the moment], with a nice big slice of chocolate cake as his reward for his retarded (9 year olds don't bite their parents) antics. Furthermore, I'm a bit appalled that so many reputable critics co-sign on the alleged brilliance of this adaptation. I don't see the film being at all successful or appealing to kids. The monsters were depressed, monotone, and lifelessly draped in sun-faded fur. The plot and the characters lacked the animation that would spark the interest of 10 and under movie-goers. And, for adults it was hard to relate. Again, I don't know how many of my friends stood on kitchen tables dressed as their favorite fictional characters in stark rebellion. And once reprimanded, resorted to biting their parents. Maybe, [maybe] at 4. Not 9. It was unrealistic, morally confused, and flat boring. It's definitely an acquired taste, at best and worst. But, with such a compelling need for acquisition, there's absolutely no logical way to justify it as '100' [percent] brilliant. Sorry.… Collapse

The sound track was good other then that this movie was horrible. Here is a quick plotline: Little kid ruins mom's date then runs into woods finds boat goes to other world ruins it then comes back satisfied and forces mom to make him food. It should really be renamed "Land of Depressed Monsters"

Yawn. A selfish kid full of self-pity goes to an unadventurous island inhabited by lame, unhappy, aimless "things" that are decidedly un-wild. Not sure how such psycho-babble nonsense was derived from the 9-sentence book. The mom's worshipful gazing at the end is repulsive.

Torture to watch. Watch the trailer or read the book. Save yourself for the movie.

Kudos to the cinematographers, production designers and Jim Henson's muppet shop, the film looks great. There's just one thing they forgot; a story. The film is so interested in commenting on kids it forgets to entertain them, and the result is a bunch of wild things who sit around and complain a lot and don't do much. Why would any kid imagine a boring world like that? He could have gotten that at home.… Expand

About as much fund as I would assume a trip to the psychiatrist to be. Quite why this is well reviewed I do not have a clue. Boring and demented.

Lots of good songs, lots of anger and lots of no story. Do not punish your kids with this movie - buy them the soundtrack instead.

This movie seriously put my whole family to sleep. I have never wanted so badly to walk out of a movie. Wild Things look great, but seeing Tony Soprano in my head every time the main monster spoke drove me nuts. Please do not give any of your money to this mess.

The ugliest movie i ever seen in my life. i thought nothing can beat "lady in the water" or "futuresport" this sucks big time. It's about a retard kid that thinks he can do whatever he wants. wish that the monsters ate him right away so the film could end early. Boring!

I fell asleep and dreamed I had gone to see Zombieland instead. I really wanted to like it too, it's just that it's so boring.

The movie is about a kid going to another world and trying to make everything right for them, but fails miserably and goes back home. It was really awful. Nothing even like the book my dad used to read to me when I went to bed at night.

This is the worst film I have ever seen. When I got to see this film for free with my imax pass, I thought I was in for a pleasant film, but instead I watched one of my favorite childhood books be smashed to pieces right before my eyes. This film: "Where the Wild Things Are" would be more accurately titled: "Where the Depressed, Overly-Dramatic Emo Maniacs Are. The film stars Max, a "9" year old boy (who appears to be around age 13) who goes insane and assaults his mother one night. His mother tries to get him under control, only to cause him to run down the street in his wolf costume, hide in a forest "yelling I hate you!", destroying things and finally sailing away in a small, bashed up fishing boat. He arrives at an island to meet a group of characters who represent his family and his character traits (anger, sadness, etc.) . He befriends Carol, an emo depressing beast who represents how Max is constantly having tantrums, and soon the beast makes him their "king" (who is mainly just a babysitter in charge of keeping these stupid lugs happy). Everything goes wrong, he ruins their lives, and for some reason they just get happy one day and send him home where he treats everyone just as awful as before. The worst part is, that the film has lots of talk about global issues like global warming and the sun going out, making it hard for a usually positive person like me to stomach it. I no longer want to even look at the book, let alone the film. Don't let this happen to you.… Expand

Not at all what I was expecting. When it started I thought I was watching an amateur movie trailer, but no it was the movie. I kept waiting for it to improve, but no again. Except for the creatures, it felt very amateurish. The storyline was minimal and repetitive. The whole thing was a tremendous disappointment.

We have 4 young children and enjoy going to family movies. My husband and I read and loved "Where the Wild Things Are" as children, and our kids have enjoyed it too. Unfortunately, this movie does not live up to the simple magic of the book. It was violent and the Wild Things were horribly sarcastic and depressed. They sounded like a bad "All in the Family" re-run. It was so bad that we almost left in the middle--only staying to see if it redeemed itself. It did not. I wouldn't even recommend this movie for a $1 Redbox rental. The one bright spot is the boy who plays Max is a great little actor. I disliked this movie so much that I'm speculating the pro critics who gave it "100" were paid off.… Expand

I was eager to see this movie and left the cinema quite angry. How could Jonze delete a crucial part of the story - the forest growing in the bedroom. There was nothing endearing about Max and what was with the robot dance?? One of the worst movies I've ever seen. 1 point for the soundtrack.

For lack of strong dialogue, angry and lonely animals with all that derived from just being bored makes for an awful movie. Even if this wasn't "Where the wild things are" it would still have made for a bad movie in general. The soundtrack, costume design was good, but once again, if that was the highlight of any movie, then it's a terrible movie. It varies greatly from the book, a 10 minute book mind you, you can't turn that into a 100 minute movie when every second page has only 2-3 sentences. Max's claustrophobia early introduced had me worried every time he was in danger from the other inhabitants, especially overbearing strength. Finally Carol's 'development' was nothing short of miraculous at the end, which at best one could say "Only in Hollywood...".… Expand

How to make a 425 word book into a movie.... inject a lot of weird awkward pauses and random pointless events. How to get chocolate cake, Bit your mother and run off for a few days to a strange world, when things go bad take a boat back without addressing any problems.

Boring is one word to describe this movie. There are some slightly fun elements but everything is ruined by the story line which is lacking completely... it's just made up of disjointed ideas. The way the movie looks visually is amazing, but underneath the makeup there's really nothing of value that will stay with you, it just feels hollow on the substance front. It's a movie that kids won't understand or like and a movie that will leave adults disappointed thanks to the undeserved hype. At least the soundtrack is good, if you're a fan of Karen O and the 'Yeah Yeah Yeahs' you're probably going to be satisfied by the soundtrack rather than the movie.… Expand

Total waste of time & money. Kids 8 and 11 hated it. Do not go see this movie.

Nothing like the book at all....plus, this whole idea of this being a movie "in the mind of a 9 y.o." is bs. Maybe as a spoiled brat of a 9 y.o. you could think like this...those of us who were disciplined as children and raised to respect others don't....it's just an unrealistic movie.

I watched this sober. That was a mistake. The only good part of this movie was the soundtrack. Boooooring.

Visually beautiful, but that is really all I can say positively. I was with a 12 and a 9 year old and we left the theatre baffled and drained... not for kids. I loved the book as a kid! what a shame!!!

Virtually impossible to take seriously from about 15 minutes in. boring as all hell, a dialogue movie with the cast made up in furry suits. absolutely no story other than some divorce lurking in the background, and some disgruntled furries who hate each other for no other reason than boredom. then, an emotional deus ex machina ending. truly awful.

#1 NOT A KID'S MOVIE #2 Violent #3 Destructive #4 Without Resolution #5 Doesn't hold a candle to what happened in my imagination...wish I could erase this movie from my memory!

I had such high hopes for this movie and was completely let down. I really don't know how all of these critics are giving this movie such high reviews. Was thoroughly disappointed with this movie....

Truly Awful...long dreary depressing. I was relieved my four year old fell asleep so as not to ruin one of her favorite books. This movie truly sucked, in ways beyond my humble ability to describe, posing as a hipster film doesn't make it a good movie, just a pretentious one. Spike was waaaaay off the mark with this one!!!!!!

Worst movie I've ever seen. Exceedingly dark and depressing; no redeeming value whatsoever. It just depicted a lot of angry venting and selfish behavior. Sadly, they used a popular child's story for a movie that isn't suitable for children.

Come on! Seriously. Where the wild things decidedly aren't. The creatures all speak and act like a bunch of glum community college instructors with various levels of bitterness and depression. The script, I have little doubt, was actually written from the ramblings of a nine year old boy; and now all these jackass critics have fallen for it as profound. The meta-joke is on you, eggheads. A raccoon named Richard, indeed. This is not art (and it sure as hell isn't for kids). I can go for this kind of stuff when it's done well, and you can see something of this kind done with far and away more talent at just about any video installation at any modern art museum. Nothing's learned, nobody changes, and the final image of the mother (the ever flat and neurotic Katherine keener) watching rapt as her spoiled brat eats chocolate cake says it all.… Expand

This movie was awful and definately not a kids movie. The openng scene with the sister kissing on the couch was unecessary and came without warning for me to prepare my small children. In addition, the disfunctional boy biting his mother and then running away was out of character with the book. The movie truly illustrates bad disfunctional behavior, but does not drive the point for children to understand why the behavior is unacceptable. THIS IS AN ADULT MOVIE, better suited for those trying to understand the depth and emotions of a disfunctional child!!!… Expand

Very bad, and I am not a fan of the book. The films worst folly is that it's boring. This is a drawn out, pretentious and boring film which possesses an odd, turgid pace, trying to pass itself of as whimsical and philosophic. What. A waste.

In a nutshell strange movie. I was wondering what the plot to this movie was going to be and about a quarter way through the move I didn't really care. I have no idea why so called movie critics rated this movie so high. maybe they have an interest in the movie such as stock holdings. probubly the worst movie of the year. two thumbs down sucked really bad.

Depressing. Dark. Violent. Inconclusive. Mr. Sendak must have needed some money desperately. I wouldn't take my kids to see it. Read them the book and let their imaginations soar.

This movie made me extremely uncomfortable, like sitting in on an hour 40 of a kid's therapy session. This isn't a movie I'd want to take a kid to. They chose to flesh the story out with dysfunction, and that's not what I thought I was getting into.

Horrid. Boring. Tedious. Aimless. Pointless. Weary-making.

What in the World? This movie sucked! Well, maybe that's harsh...but the best scenes were the "real" life scenes with his family/mother. I certainly appreciate the suffering and confusion this child lives with at the hands of his "broken" family, but the fantasy in the movie does NOT live up to the hype and was really goofy. I'll bet the book was better! The child was a great little actor!… Expand

Over hyped, over rated movie! I could not wait for the end of the LONG movie. DO NOT SEE AT THE THEATERS, bad enough to rent on DVD. Trust me you will see! THere is a reason why it was only on book form.

Is this some kind of joke. They marketed a kids movie only to find out it borderlines a horror film. The costumes were amazing but it all stops there. My favorite book as a kid was slaughtered when it was translated into this joke of a movie! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY YOUR TIME. IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO NEVER LOOK AT THE BOOK THE SAME WAY.

Is this some kind of joke??? I read this story to my 3 year old at least twice a week. So before the movie came out I was excited to go see it with him. During the movie I was bored and depressed and covering my boys eyes a lot. After the movie, I was confused and let down. ABSOLUTELY NO STORY LINE!!! Thanks to Spike Jonzes for turning a classic book into a dud of a movie. My boy is now terrified of the book. What a joke.… Expand

I think a lot of people rate this movie so high because they loved the book and feel a responsibility toward protecting the reputation of the movie. I feel the book was excellent, but this movie completely failed. If you want to see a movie that looks like it was made by a CGI expert with too much time on his hands and a low budget for everything else, go see this movie. If you want to see a movie that's slightly better, go see Gigli. If you want to actually enjoy seeing movies, go see something else.… Expand

I can't say enough about how painful it was to sit through this slow drudge of a movie. Nearly 1/2 the film centers around one of the characters pouting, screaming, breaking things, threatening and fighting each other. I'm a big fan of Spike Jonez (really like Adaptation), but he fumbled the ball on this clunker. If I want to watch spite filled people yell at each other for an hour and 1/2 all I have to do is watch my 3 year olds pre-school class.… Expand

This was the worst movie I have ever seen, and I've seen The Patriot and Transformers. It mistakes misery for profundity and strips all joy from childhood. Enjoy kids!

I'm going to go ahead and agree with everyone else; visually, this movie is stunning. Aside from that, I didn't like it. The whole movie was largely forgettable and boring. The music is distracting and it often took me a minute to discern the music from the actual audio of the film. The events are disconnected and just sort of happen one after another with no real flow or sense of plot. More than that, though, the movie seems to illustrate the point that life is terrible and no matter what you do to try and fix it, it will only get worse. Certainly not a message for a kids movie. And on that note, the movie seems to reward bad behavior more than it does anything else. The boy throws a tantrum for no reason and is gifted a kingdom. When he returns home, he gets cake. We leave the movie with nothing resolved, and I myself was annoyed.

It's apparent that many people liked this film. I want to say people liked it because they expected to. I personally would recommend watching the trailer instead. It's much more moving and exciting than the film was.… Expand

Dark and moping with no resolution; you get the feeling it's all deep and allegorical, and like Max, you just don't get it.

This was NOT an enjoyable movie for any child and I have four who hated it... It was nothing short of a psychotherapy session for any adult who has felt the cruelty of divorce in their lifetime.

Visually stunning, but incredibly boring and twee. The kid is annoying and unlikeable, and it is difficult to care about any of the characters.

Just plain bad.

This is a juvenile reminicence of the "Cell". Max is obviously an Aspergers or High Functioning autistic with serious problems and an inept, absent mother. This could have been the prequel to "Adam'. This poor child desperately needs help. The characters are as atrocious as Grimms Brothers renderings, but unlike fairy tales, there is not a single useful message or symbol available to help this kid or any that go see it. How did Jonze accomplish that? The chicken, goat and owls will completey alienate even the occassional child who responds to petting zoo therapy. To top it off, Jonze uses Gandolfini from the Sopranos to whack this kids chances of ever developing into an adult. Sorry kids. Besides the suns dying and the planets going dark.… Expand

Great costumes, painful to sit through. Was confusing and lacked any sort of entertaining or smart dialogue. Doesn't capture the book or your attention. Don't waste your money.

This film constructs and simultaneously deconstructs itself in each scene. The film's honest ending is a meager consolation prize for those patient enough to endure the existential vacuity of the film.

DEPRESSING! DARK! AWFUL!

This is not a kids movie!!! The kid is naughty, and the monsters are very negative. All my kids got out of it, is that it is funny to hit your friends and its okay to throw tantrums.

I found it rather dull and the thin plot of romantic angst between the beasts more than a little silly.

Nothing redeeming about this film. You'll want your money back halfway through. Boring story, no characters to get behind, Max is unlikable and annoying, the movie is dark and seems to carry no message. A terrible self indulgent effort by the director.

This movie was a massive disappointment. It offered very little beyond the outstanding design and the well-done intro portion. Just watch the trailer 5 times and you'll be better off. Beware of critics who WANT to support the new Jonze movie.

WAY too artsy and too much symbolism for kids to "get". He took a wonderful idea and butchered it to the point that the imagination of Max was really properly illustrated.

Visually amazing but slow and depressing.

Terrible! Way too long and depressing. Feel bad for all the kids who had their hopes dashed at this sad and boring film. Save your money and take the kids out bowling instead.