--- title: "Where the Wild Things Are: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are" critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Where the Wild Things Are (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 75 from 14 reviews: 11 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2009. Jonze delivers a plotless, bittersweet mood-piece that laments the passing of childhood while celebrating its rough, imaginative play. The Wild Things are reimagined as deeply human figures representing aspects of Max's psyche, brought to life through subtle effects and strong voice work. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wild-things-2-review/) ## Time Out — Ben Walters Rating 4/5. 8 December 2009. Jonze expands the slim picture book into a psychologically realistic and visually grounded fantasy that evocatively captures the timbre of childhood imagining. The critic praises the solid, tactile creature designs and young lead performance but notes it can feel ponderous and over-determined at times. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 11 October 2009. Festival review. Jonze delivers a creative, melancholic portrait of a child coming to terms with growing up through this adaptation. The review singles out the imaginative, tactile visual approach blending puppetry and modern techniques, along with the genuine emotional depth, as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/where-the-wild-things-are/5006636.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2009. The critic describes the film as a subdued, deadpan and slightly depressive expansion of the book into a psychological study of childhood loneliness and dysfunction. It grew on him as an intriguing oddity that falls between adult and child sensibilities, darker and colder than expected, with clever design but little Christmas jollity. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/dec/10/where-the-wild-things-are-review) ## Little White Lies — Matt Bochenski Rating 5/3/4. 11 December 2009. Jonze's adaptation of the classic children's book delivers mixed results overall. The critic highlights the technical achievement of the creature designs and performances as a standout element amid narrative inconsistencies. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/where-the-wild-things-are) ## The New Yorker — David Denby Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2009. Finds the opening sequences sensationally good at capturing a boy's impetuousness and egotism, with the monsters rendered faithfully and some scenes peerless in freedom and warmth. Complains that the creatures become too talkative and peevish, turning the film into something about futility rather than liberation. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/10/19/naughty-boys) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez 11 October 2009. Jonze's adaptation movingly projects a boy's troubled psyche onto the wild things' world, distilling emotions to their essence and showing imagination as spiritual maturation. The film is a rich, haunting evocation of adolescence despite some overly obvious parallels and intrusive songs. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/where-the-wild-things-are/) ## The Hollywood Reporter 11 October 2009. The film succeeds visually in realizing a child's imaginative world through puppetry and animation but falters in its adaptation, which lacks strong emotions and fails to captivate. The slender source material results in a repetitive, moralistic story that may weary adults. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wild-film-review-93644/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating Critic's Pick. 16 October 2009. Praises Jonze's adaptation as an intensely original and haunting work of art that stands up to and sometimes surpasses its source material. Singles out the director's filmmaking for exceeding his previous features in charm, delight, and beauty. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/movies/16where.html) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A+. 16 October 2009. The critic calls the film honest, courageous, heartfelt, and the best of 2009. They single out Max Records' completely authentic performance as the emotional foundation and Jonze's growth as a director. [Read the review](https://collider.com/review-where-the-wild-things-are/) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2009. Spike Jonze faithfully captures the spirit of Maurice Sendak's book in a sublime, childlike fantasy that blends euphoria and violence. The film excels in its central performance, stunning creature effects, and emotionally resonant camerawork that evokes the fluidity of childhood play. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/review-where-the-wild-things-are/) ## The Playlist — Rodrigo Perez Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2009. Spike Jonze delivers an extraordinarily captivating and honest depiction of childhood traumas through an intimate, raw adaptation that is emotionally textured and joyous in its play sequences. The film is a personal, tender $100 million art movie with a devastatingly wistful ending. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/where-wild-things-are-review-pains-of-20091015/) ## Eye for Film — Leanne McGrath Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 November 2009. Spike Jonze creates a breathtaking fantasy world using stunning puppetry, CGI, and voice talent that forms a masterpiece. The film is dark in places and may upset young children, but it effectively expands the simple book into an engaging story about leadership and emotions. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/where-the-wild-things-are-film-review-by-leanne-mcgrath) ## Den of Geek — Ron Hogan Rating 4/5. 19 October 2009. The critic finds it an exceptionally moving but morose adaptation that explores childhood emotions through the monsters, praising the creature design and voice acting, but notes padding and that it's not suitable for young children. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are-review/) ## The Skinny — Keir Roper-Caldbeck Rating 4/5. 11 December 2009. The critic praises the vivid first fifteen minutes capturing a child's world but criticizes the named monsters as miserable and the focus on psychodramas over a gripping story for children, while noting interest in the landscapes, puppets and oddness. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/where-the-wild-things-are) ## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2009. The critic praises the gorgeous world and distinct beast voices but notes the story lacks dramatic drive for younger viewers, offering rewards mainly for older children and adults in its sobering yet ethereal take on the book. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a190271/where-the-wild-things-are/) ## Paste — Andy Beta Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2009. The critic finds the early scenes capture the manic mood swings of childhood poignantly, but the middle section bogs down with mopey creatures, meandering shots, and a plot devoid of conflict. The adaptation ultimately fails to become an imaginative film. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/where-the-wild-things-are-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md