MAX, the protagonist of “Where the Wild Things Are,” journeys to an island filled with fantasy creatures. Over the course of the film, he meets a variety of wild things. photo courtesy of SOUVENIRS.GARANTIS.CA

For those who want to relive the imagination and nostalgia of their youth, “Where the Wild Things Are” is just the ticket. As adults, we often overlook such things as make-believe. But, in director Spike Jonze’s new film, we are thrust head-first into it.

Fans of the 1963 classic storybook by Maurice Sendak, upon which the film was based, may be disappointed. The book consists of 10 sentences, now reproduced on the silver screen into a two-hour adventure. While parts of the film seem to drag because of this, there is an indelible beauty in the visual way Jonze tells the story.

“Where the Wild Things Are” follows 9-year-old protagonist Max (newcomer Max Records). He is a rebellious boy, often resorting to temper tantrums to get the attention of his family. He wears a grubby handmade wolf costume constantly, a symbol of his wild side.

Max’s mother is fed up with his antics one evening and sends him off to bed with no supper. Max runs out of the house and escapes to a magical island – a figment of his overly active imagination. On this island, strange and unusual creatures greet him and make him their king. As Max befriends these “wild things,” they have a rough rumpus, start a dirt-ball war and build a mystical fort.

One might argue that very little happens during the course of the film. And yes, the 10 sentences of Sendak’s book leaves Jonze and co-screenwriter Dave Eggers relatively little to build on. They fill the gaps reasonably well, creating a visual fantasy book on screen both dazzling and mesmerizing.

Max Records is the most marvelous aspect of this adaptation. Records’ 9-year-old character has never been more alive or believable. Records is an extraordinary young actor, letting the many emotions of his character naturally flow through him.

Records is also backed by the voices of A-list actors playing the roles of the wild things, including James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker. Each creature has its own unique, offbeat personality.

The greatest moments of “Where the Wild Things Are” include those between Max and his mother (Catherine Keener). Although Keener’s on-screen interaction with Records is brief, each scene is beautifully written and acted by both parties.

It’s difficult to say exactly what the core of “Where the Wild Things Are” is about. There is no clear message and no closure in its finale. Even though it transports us to this alternate universe, the film doesn’t tell us why we are here or why we should care. In the 1963 book, it was an escape for Max, who soon realizes he wants to be home again where his mother loves him.

In the film version, Max inadvertently screws up the creature universe, causing conflict between the wild things. His little mind can’t take it anymore, so he gives up and goes home where things make more sense. The message this conveys is confusing, never giving Max, or his new wild friends, a chance to come full circle.

But, not all is lost. “Where the Wild Things Are” is an entertaining ride into the mind of a young boy, despite its most obvious flaws. After all, this kind of story is best told visually. That part, at least, Spike Jonze got right.