Is 'Where the Wild Things Are' too scary for young children?

I saw the movie over the weekend with my children (ages 12 and 16). We liked the movie but we all definitely felt it was a very a little on the dark side. Not to say that it was particularly scary (there were a few moments that might be scary for some small children) but more that it was kind of a serious character study about a small boy troubled by the circumstances in his life beyond his control (divorce, maturing siblings and parents stressed by money troubles). We had a really good discussion about the movie and what it meant afterward. The movie was not so much a children's movie as it was a movie about a child. I think you would enjoy it but if a child is reluctant I would have to respect that. So I guess what I am saying is that it depends on the child and as a parent only you can make that decision.

We took two 7year old girls. While they said they enjoyed the movie, I think they enjoyed the night out and the popcorn most of all. They enjoyed parts of the movie, but I believe it dragged for them in other parts and the popcorn and soda helped to keep them still. I would recommend only taking older kids, not necessarily because of the darkness of the movie but because only older people will get the message. If you are too young to understand what the wild things represent to Max and how he works out his issues, then it really will be too slow for you. If you are older and grew up on Sendak's Wild Things, then it is a must see.

I saw this movie last weekend with my 14 year old son and 16 year old daughter. I thought it strange that the theater was full of teenagers as I had thought the movie was a kids movie.......I was wrong. I would not take any kids under the age of 10. Really not much of a kid movie at all. Your friends discription was right on.....The movie doesn't know what it wants to be or who it should appeal to. The young actor is very good and the creature development was wonderful which was why we wanted to see it....My daughter wants to be a cinemagraphic sculptor who makes creatures and costumes for films. It was a lost storyline though. They really could have done so much more with it. If it was ment to be an art film, I guess it was OK.

We took our 5 year old to see it this past Sunday. There were parts that he was a bit scared of but he got over that pretty quickly because my wife and I were there to reassure him. He really liked the movie and has asked to see it again. I think it helped him to resolve the whole monster issue with himself, seeing a precedent for a kid standing up for himself. We also talked about the movie with him, however briefly (you may be familiar with the attention span of a 5 year old) and that helped him think more about the story than the scary monsters and tension. I may have also helped that he has had the book for several months.

I would not take small kids and 8 might be borderline. my 10 year old liked it, my 4 year old claimed he did, but I am not so sure. Here is my complete review:

http://thatslifev2.blogspot.com/2009/10/movie-review-where-wild-things-are.html

I think it depends on the child. My 4 year old will definitely be ok with it. Nothing scares the child. She had no issues with haunted houses, etc because she is always evaluating what's real and what's not in her head. She has never been afraid of anything, even as a toddler. But 2 year old, I would not, even if she were older because she is naturally much more cautious and afraid. That is her personality. So there is no "rule" of the right age - I think it's up to the parent to know whether it's suitable for his/her child.

I think people are getting the wrong impression over what is "scary" in this film. I didn't find most of the action to be scary, but the spectrum of human emotion being played out was very deep and dark. It was frightening to see the Wild Things acting out on their feelings, but it is a truth that has to be dealt with in life. I'm not one who beleives in sugar-coating everything to protect my child. My very emotionally in tune 7 year old wasn't scared but I think the range of dark emotion was a lot for her to handle. When I asked if she liked it, she said she didn't know. I thought is was an amazing movie for a lot of reasons. When it ends up in my dvd collection, I'm sure it will mostly be for me.

I loved this movie. Most of the adults and all of the older kids and teens I know also loved it. Parents who thought their young kids would like it were misguided from the get-go. It's rated PG, after all. Though it's based on a beloved children's book, this movie wasn't intended for young kids.

I read a review on CNN.com in which the writer complained that the Wild Things were too sad. The whole point of the movie is that the island of Wild Things is a reflection of Max's real life. In real life, Max is sad and angry at his mom for not keeping their family happy and together. On the island, the Wild Things are sad and get angry at Max, their king, for not keeping their family happy and together. For me, the key line in the movie is when Max tells K.W., "You need a mom." He finds out that it's hard work trying to keep the family happy and together, and feelings of fear and loneliness are part of life. In the last scene, he is reunited with his relieved mother, and smiles as she falls asleep, exhausted, at the kitchen table.

I think what a lot of adults are missing... is that this movie was basically made for the 20-40 year old crowd. I've been babysitting kids for a little over a decade, and most of the kids that I babysat never wanted to read "Where The Wild Things Are" or "Goodnight Moon" or anything like that. In fact, the only kid that really enjoyed it was a fan of Fall Out Boy and apparently their tour that year was themed around WtWTA. She actually lost interest in the story pretty fast. I think this book was just way more popular for kids back in the 70's-early 90's. I think it's more for the older crowd to enjoy and reminisce, and to finally see a beloved classic on the big screen. I personally loved it, but I wouldn't expect my kids to like it until they are much older and can understand the themes of divorce and family ties (and I don't care how many kids go through a divorce, they don't "understand" it until they are WAY older).

I have no opinion of the movie but I have to comment on the article. Rainy Farrell Is a producer for Today yet she doesn't know basic grammar? It should be 'too scary' not 'to scary'

SHEESH!

I saw the movie with my daughters (ages 10 and 15) last night. We each enjoyed the movie for our own different reason and had our own perspective on it. I cannot add anything that hasn't already been addressed in previous posts. What I would like to point out is that I did not take my third child because I knew he would not enjoy this movie. When I took him to hear a local jazz band two nights before, I didn't take his older sister because she doesn't like jazz. My first two children are only 1 year apart in age, but have very different interests. I suggest Ms. Farrell recognize that her twins have different personalities and take the daughter that would like to see the movie and let the other play at a friends for a few hours.

It doesn't surprise me that some children would find this movie a little bit frightening, most people just happen to think that "Where the Wild Things Are" is a fun little book for kids, about a boy who learns that the comforts of home and family often outweigh the pleasure you get from being able to do whatever you want whenever you want to.

If you look at it from an analytical perspective, it has a plot that is fairly dark and subversive, so it would make sense that some of those themes would carry over into the movie.

Also, this is just my opinion, having grown up when practical effects like puppets were still widely used and CGI didn't really take center stage in a movie until Jurassic Park, or the original Toy Story which was done entirely in CGI, I personally still find puppets much more frightening than computer generated effects, and it makes sense to me that a child who has seen only computer generated effects might be easily frightened by something more "real"; even if a puppet cannot move without the aid of a puppeteer it exists outside of a world in the physical realm.

I recently saw this movie with my 4 1/2 year old boy. We have been reading Where The Wild Things are for years and he really wanted to see it after watching the trailer and seeing articles in magazines. I thought it was a wonderful movie and have no regrets that I took him. That said, were I to do that day over again, I would have taken him to see Astro Boy instead. Why? I still haven't figured out exactly but I think the reasons are mostly because the emotional themes and context of the movie was too mature for him. Neither him nor I felt the movie was scary, however, he certainly seemed to feel the weight of those emotions. He cried big sobbing cries when Max left the Wild Things to go back home. Carol's display of emotions as Max left was so deep and sad to my son but he lacked the emotional maturity to grasp the life lessons Max and the Wild Things were experiencing.

I wish it weren't so because I personally enjoyed this movie so much, but I think it may be best for an older child. As for which age, I don't think that's for anyone but you to decide. Some 7 year olds are more emotionally mature than 12 year olds.