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IMDbPro

Where the Wild Things Are

  • 2009
  • PG
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
107K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,852
257
James Gandolfini and Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
The second theatrical trailer for Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are, an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book. In it, Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world -- a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler.
Play trailer2:33
19 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureDramaFamily

Yearning for escape and adventure, a young boy runs away from home and sails to an island filled with creatures that take him in as their king.Yearning for escape and adventure, a young boy runs away from home and sails to an island filled with creatures that take him in as their king.Yearning for escape and adventure, a young boy runs away from home and sails to an island filled with creatures that take him in as their king.

  • Director
    • Spike Jonze
  • Writers
    • Spike Jonze
    • Dave Eggers
    • Maurice Sendak
  • Stars
    • Max Records
    • Catherine O'Hara
    • Forest Whitaker
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    107K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,852
    257
    • Director
      • Spike Jonze
    • Writers
      • Spike Jonze
      • Dave Eggers
      • Maurice Sendak
    • Stars
      • Max Records
      • Catherine O'Hara
      • Forest Whitaker
    • 462User reviews
    • 347Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 54 nominations

    Videos19

    Where the Wild Things Are -- Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:33
    Watch Where the Wild Things Are -- Trailer #2
    Where the Wild Things Are: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:07
    Watch Where the Wild Things Are: Trailer #1
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Clip 1:21
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Clip 1:33
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Clip 1:34
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Clip 1:32
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are
    Clip 1:25
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are
    Where The Wild Things Are: What's Your Story
    Clip 1:21
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are: What's Your Story
    Where The Wild Things Are: You Know The Sun Is Going To Die?
    Clip 1:24
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are: You Know The Sun Is Going To Die?
    Where The Wild Things Are: This Is Our Family
    Clip 1:33
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are: This Is Our Family
    Where The Wild Things Are: I Like How You Destroy Stuff
    Clip 1:33
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are: I Like How You Destroy Stuff
    Where The Wild Things Are: Dirt Clod Fight
    Clip 1:31
    Watch Where The Wild Things Are: Dirt Clod Fight

    Photos112

    Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    James Gandolfini and Vincent Crowley in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Nick Farnell, and Sam Longley in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    James Gandolfini, Max Records, and Vincent Crowley in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    James Gandolfini, Max Records, and Vincent Crowley in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    James Gandolfini, Max Records, and Vincent Crowley in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
    Catherine O'Hara and Nick Farnell in Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Max Records
    Max Records
    • Max
    Catherine O'Hara
    Catherine O'Hara
    • Judith
    • (voice)
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Ira
    • (voice)
    Pepita Emmerichs
    • Claire
    Max Pfeifer
    • Claire's Friend
    Madeleine Greaves
    • Claire's Friend
    Joshua Jay
    Joshua Jay
    • Claire's Friend
    Ryan Corr
    Ryan Corr
    • Claire's Friend
    Catherine Keener
    Catherine Keener
    • Mom
    Steve Mouzakis
    Steve Mouzakis
    • Teacher
    Mark Ruffalo
    Mark Ruffalo
    • The Boyfriend
    James Gandolfini
    James Gandolfini
    • Carol
    • (voice)
    Vincent Crowley
    Vincent Crowley
    • Carol Suit Performer
    Paul Dano
    Paul Dano
    • Alexander
    • (voice)
    Sonny Gerasimowicz
    Sonny Gerasimowicz
    • Alexander Suit Performer
    Nick Farnell
    Nick Farnell
    • Judith Suit Performer
    Sam Longley
    Sam Longley
    • Ira Suit Performer
    Michael Berry Jr.
    Michael Berry Jr.
    • The Bull
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Spike Jonze
    • Writers
      • Spike Jonze
      • Dave Eggers
      • Maurice Sendak
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Spike Jonze turned down the chance to make the movie fully animated, because he wanted people to feel the Wild Things, and thought it would be more exciting and dangerous if a real kid were running around with the wild things.
    • Goofs
      When Max says, "Wow!" when he sees Carol's world built from sticks, an earpiece is visible in Max Records' ear.
    • Quotes

      Douglas: Will you keep out all the sadness?

      Max: I have a sadness shield that keeps out all the sadness, and it's big enough for all of us.

    • Crazy credits
      The logos for Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures, and Village Roadshow Pictures are covered with Max's scribblings.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Duplicity/Knowing/I Love You, Man (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Worried Shoes
      Written by Daniel Johnston

      Produced by Karen O and Tom Biller (as tbiller)

      Performed by Karen O and the Kids

      Courtesy of DGC/Interscope Records

    User reviews462

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Review For "Where The Wild Things Are"
    Running Time: An hour and a half MPAA Rating: PG Max is angry. He is imaginative and rambunctious, but he has no control. He knows that, like the sun, one day his energy will run out and he'll fade away. These are difficult thoughts for a young boy who already has the dilemmas of his age to deal with. Many people learn to cope with life's troubles in their own way, and Max does so by becoming a wild thing.

    The movie adds some unique elements to the original Maurice Sendak storybook. Max's behavior is given a cause and his trip into the land of the wild things is given a purpose. Each of the creatures has a unique personality derived from Max's experiences with people in his homeland. Carol (played by James Gandolfini), whose anarchic and misunderstood nature Max immediately identifies with, specifically seems to provide the boy a means for coming to terms with the father now missing from his life.

    What really brings this film to life is the music. Written by Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the songs provide a youthful vigor that complements the action on screen. It was built from scratch for the movie and great use within each context shows. Energetic tracks filled with wild instrumentation and playground yells lend credence to the playful scenes in the movie, and Karen O's soft vocals fit in perfectly with the sentimental points.

    Book purists won't be pleased to learn the extent of added material, of course, but may find comfort in the heavy involvement of the original author in the making of this film. Spike Jonze was specifically given the permission of the author, who had previously seen and highly regarded his work. Although this film does take much of the mystery and imagination out of the hands of the viewer, Sendak has given his personal approval of the interpretation after viewing the final product.

    In the end, this movie wasn't quite what it could have been. It loses some of its steam toward the middle, when certain scenes feel as though they've been drawn out as long as possible to give the movie a bump to above the acceptable hour and a half mark. There are more shaky-cam running scenes in the film than an episode of "24", which could have easily become redundant and intolerable had it not been for the expressive and enthralling soundtrack. Fortunately, the movie manages to work as presented, and members of the audience may be inspired to search out the wild things within themselves once more.

    The easily queasy should be warned; much of this movie is shot by hand-held camera, leading to what has become known as the "shaky-cam" effect. This can work out of some viewers' favor, but shouldn't provide a problem for the majority of audience members.
    helpful•70
    54
    • Ross667-1
    • Oct 13, 2009

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    FAQ7

    • Is "Where the Wild Things Are" based on a book?
    • Is this movie animated?
    • How closely does the movie follow the book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 16, 2009 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Warner Bros. (France)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • More Rice
    • Filming locations
      • Flinders, Victoria, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Legendary Entertainment
      • Village Roadshow Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $100,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $77,233,467
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $32,695,407
      • Oct 18, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $100,140,916
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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