The original Where the Wild Things Are was written by Maurice Sendak and published in 1963. Although it contains just ten sentences, that's more than enough to tell the story of Max and his journey to the Wild Things' island. While they are large, monstrous creatures, Max is able to convince them that he can hold his own, and he's soon crowned "King of all Wild Things". From there, the Wild Rumpus begins, but Max soon realizes what's important to him, and becomes homesick.

Where the Wild Things Are is a classic, a bedtime story that captivates both children and adults. It has sold over 17 million copies since its release, and has also gone back into reprinting to coincide with the Spike Jonze film.

The film

It took 46 years for Hollywood to make this film, but Spike Jonze finally completed work on his live-action adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, setting the stage for the film's October 16th release. Instead of relying heavily on computer-generated animation (like so many films do nowadays), the Wild Things are actually a combination of small CG work and puppet animatronics, which give them an authentic look. The effect comes off well, and Jonze surrounds these creatures with some fantastic imagery. The forest in which they dwell looks beautiful, with trees to claw at and a perch by the ocean, an ideal spot to watch sunsets and sunrises while howling to their heart's content.

Along with terrific creature design, Where the Wild Things Are also has excellent acting. Newcomer Max Records is perfect as the young, troubled Max, who wanders away from the real world into the Wild Things' domain. Catherine Keener (The 40-Year Old Virgin) plays his mother, frustrated that Max can't get along with his sister and wondering just what's up with him. As for the Wild Things, an array of vocal talent gives them personality. James Gandolfini (the tough guy from The Sopranos) does awesome work as Carol, while Forest Whitaker, Catherine O'Hara and Chris Cooper fill the back-up roles nicely.

The message of the Wild Things film digs a little deeper than the book. That's to be expected, since it's a 94-minute movie based on a ten-sentence children's story. There are trust issues that come into question over the course of the narrative. We won't question them here, but it involves making decisions and staying together as a family. This is where Max slowly realizes his homesickness, just as he did in the book. It's never to the point that the movie becomes dull, however. Jonze, along with screenwriter Dave Eggers, stay true to Sendak's message, while expanding the world of the Wild Things to give the movie just the right amount of depth.

In short, the movie is a success. While some younger children may be frightened by the imagery, it's a wonderful film, a change of pace from the usual over-commercialized fare. Take your young Wild Things to see it when you get the chance.

The video game

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment released the Where the Wild Things Are video game to coincide with the film's release. It came out for various platforms, including the Wii, DS, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game puts you in control of Max as he washes ashore on the island and begins exploring.

While creating the video game, a few changes were made to the storyline. Max actually uses a scepter he finds on the island as a projectile weapon, smashing plants and different bugs. He's much more athletic, swinging on tree branches and slowly inching his way across ledges. He also calls upon his Wild Things, but mostly to complete secondary objectives. Carol can knock down trees for him to walk across, while another Wild Thing shakes a few feathers loose, giving Max the power of flight.

In addition, there are some great racing segments while avoiding whirlpools in a sailboat or riding atop Carol as he rampages at high speeds through the forest, avoiding fallen trees while smashing through floral walls.

The Wild Things' village acts as a central hub, a place to explore and find collectibles while occasionally interacting with newfound friends and accessing new levels. You won't find the drama from the film here, just straight up adventuring.

Perhaps that's the biggest problem with the game. There simply isn't much to it. It's easily beaten within a few hours, and outside of collecting all the items in the game and unlocking new parts of the village, there isn't much to do. There's no online component, so you can't howl along with your friends and dance in a Wild Rumpus.

Still, for fans of the book and the film, it's not bad. The controls are competent if not entirely original (we've seen this platforming stuff in Prince of Persia and other games of that nature) and the graphics, while imperfect (there is screen tearing and slowdown), are true to the film. The voice acting and background music are good as well. As long as you're aware that it won't last long, the Where the Wild Things Are game is an above-average Rumpus.

Overall

In the end, make sure you see the movie and read the book. As for the game...rent it.

If you're a Wild Things fan, you owe it to yourself to see the movie. If you're not, try to check out the book first and get an idea of what it's all about. But definitely don't miss the film. Spike Jonze has done a superb job recapturing the spirit of the Things in a breezy 94 minutes. As for the game, it's a rental at best, but fans will dig it, provided they accept its shortcomings.