'Where the Wild Things Are' is a phenomenal film about human emotion. Using very drastically non-human people. The “Wild Things,” Are as divided as the humans in this film. They are a small community, a family of wild beasts. Not inherently mean like the word beast may indicate.
But they have a tendency to anger. But they also have a tendency to fragility. The same way Max, the main character, does in his own human world. It goes into the emotional topic of hurting others just because you’re hurt. Something deeper than the PG rating would suggest. The film’s characters are incredibly human. I suppose that’s something I should’ve expected from Spike Jonze. Nonetheless each character seems to represent a different level of emotion. Characters have been used to represent emotions directly in films before ( Ex. Inside Out) But in this film it plays it even smarter.
Each character feels the core human emotions at varying levels but it is not a defining quality. Just a subtle look at human interaction. The way panic, fear, anger, and sadness work together. But it’s not just those feelings. There is happiness, comfort and friendship. But then there is an echo every time the happiness fades. One I’ve felt in my own life when something goes just a step too far. It is represented in the actions pertaining to youthful brashness. But it takes that and gives a look into the mind of a child, a person. The emotions of a child are as strong as those of an adult. They only lack the proper knowledge of communication and processing. Something that can carry into adulthood if not taught well. And it's that same look into the child’s mind that is a view into a human mind.
This film is honestly incredibly important, and incredible. It is intrinsically beautiful in an ironic loveliness. The film intentionally presents its characters as technically “ugly.” And that’s the beauty of it. The film is also left without an explanation of the place where the wild things live. It doesn’t explain whether they’re a dream, real, or otherwise. It doesn’t matter to the story and is therefore left out from the writing. The lack of a ‘fantasy system’ is exactly what makes this one of the best fantasy films there is. Because it's not about that. It’s about being happy, sad, and confused and where the lines between the two are.
Where the Wild Things Are is shaping up to be the next DVD I buy. Something I do when I love a film more than most. It’s truly a masterwork of emotional storytelling. I fully recommend this film to anyone who may be slightly interested in it. You won't regret it.