Are you Taking Your Kids to See Where the Wild Things Are?

Before you do, read this review from Carey Bryson, About.com's Guide to Kids' Movies & TV.

When I saw the trailer for this movie months ago with some friends, all of whom are in their 30s and 40s, we were awed by the lush visuals. But even back then, I had misgivings about taking my sensitive little guy to this movie.

There's always been an edgy, darker side to the Maurice Sendak book -- which is probably one of the many reasons it's been so popular with kids, who naturally love a little thrill and danger before their happy ending. I had a hunch that my son wouldn't do well with seeing the giant monsters come alive, no matter how they handled the story.

And now that the movie is out, many reviews are pointing out that this is a movie about a kids' book that is not for kids. (For one thing, Max's flight to the world of the wild things is triggered in part by his feeling neglected and abandoned; his mother, a single mom, is focused on her boyfriend and his teenage sister leaves him to join her friends). The book never spelled out Max's conflict, which left more room for our imaginations to work. Some things are better left unsaid, don't you think?

So who's this movie for? I guess for nostalgic fans of the book like my friends, who also love the artistry of director Spike Jonze. Unlike some other movies from children's books that missed the mark (remember the execrable Cat in the Hat with Mike Myers?), this one isn't a disaster. But it's probably not something I'll see with my son till he's much older -- if he's still interested, that is.

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