This new children's film from Spike Jonze, the director who created such off-beat cult hits like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, stands somewhere between a typical kiddie film and a movie that is more indicative of Jonze's earlier work.
I saw this movie with a group of five friends. Two of them disliked the film, one feeling that it was simply boring and the other feeling it had too many plot holes to be enjoyable. The other three all liked the film, though they noted its off-beat, depressing style.
My opinions fell somewhere in the middle: I was very confused as whether to take Wild Things as a fun, simple story or a truly deep, poignant tale, and I think this was because Jonze felt the same way in his direction.
The film follows the story of angsty young Max, who is fed up by the constraints and the anger of his home life. To escape the stress he voyages off on a boat to a far-away island. Here he encounters the "Wild Things." Much of the remainder of the film is spent on the island, where there is the occasional typical children's film scene, such as the hectic and fun "mud battle" between Max and his new friends.
However, a great chunk of the film is not neccesarily fun or suitable for children. The inhabitants of the island all have complex psychological backgrounds and problems, leading to a pervading sense of tension which lingers throughout the entire film. Most children won't be able to handle the uneasy, often unsettling storyline, and many teens and adults will also be taken aback by these aspects of the film.
Having said this, I would highly recommend not watching this film with small children, but rather on your own. Once you can shake off the polarizing atmosphere of the film, Wild Things serves as a very accurate portrayal of the angst of childhood, while still saying a lot about the complex contradictions of adults (though the "adults" here come primarily in the form of hairy beasts).
In the end, uneasiness aside, Wild Things is a film that you is both enjoyable (for the most part) and thought-provoking, and isn't that what we're looking for in a good movie?
8/10
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I was there. I like this review. I agree with you Shane Saxton.
ReplyDeleteI am going to see this, or at least buy the DVD. If I'm too cheap I'll just watch the trailer 654 times. Point is, I loved the book as a kid and this film sounds like it takes that and brings it to the next level.
ReplyDelete" Most children won't be able to handle the uneasy, often unsettling storyline, and many teens and adults will also be taken aback by these aspects of the film." Agreed, I was bewildered through basically the whole thing. It was so great.
ReplyDeleteEric, I would highly recommend renting the film when it comes out. It's not the most conventional of films, but that's why I found particular pleasure in watching it.
ReplyDeleteAny movie which takes me by surprise as I'm watching it always remains memorable. I don't think it's going to pick up any Oscars this year, but it is definitely one of the finer films I've seen so far this year.
I admit I was going to skip watching this movie but your review has me intrigued.
ReplyDeletelittle kids aren't angsty, you have to save that word for the teenage years :)and i havn't seen this b/c i never read the book when i was a child but the movie looks like it has the potential to depress while looking really cinematically sound.
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