A creative boy, very sensitive at his age (as children can be at times), feeling disenfranchised with his family, seemingly with no obvious close friends, whose hurt feelings don't dawn on anybody, escapes away to an island filled with the unpackaging of his mind, in the form of fantastical creatures which he tries to corral, cajole, correct. In a sense, his experience is one of primal therapy, kid style.
It's done very well, but one must consider that Max is presented as a somewhat glass-half-empty type, and glass-half-full types would likely find the movie at times boring, melancholy, and overall unfulfilling. But the half-empties could easily identify with it, and even allow some positive catharsis in it, as Max did, in its conclusion.
So I guess I'd go out on a limb here and say it would be quite a good movie for some kids (and some adults still feeling the lonely child lurking around within them), while some other kids would likely say nope to it. And it's a film not exactly for kids, tho camouflaged as one. Definitely not a film that can be "judged by its cover".
As in the book, the experience is a dream, tho not one at night nor in a bed. Max's wolf suit, hopelessly grimed up via days of his dream escapades, is not so when he returns home.
It's done well, but dark. The science teacher, who could have gone in any number of directions in his dissertation, chose a gloomy tack. Even the lighting is dark save for the occasional sunny period. Technically it is superb. The boy is a gifted young actor. But I would offer that if you have a happy kid this is not a film for them. And if not? Well, this flick could actually be a comfort. But maybe you should gauge it yourself first.
It's done very well, but one must consider that Max is presented as a somewhat glass-half-empty type, and glass-half-full types would likely find the movie at times boring, melancholy, and overall unfulfilling. But the half-empties could easily identify with it, and even allow some positive catharsis in it, as Max did, in its conclusion.
So I guess I'd go out on a limb here and say it would be quite a good movie for some kids (and some adults still feeling the lonely child lurking around within them), while some other kids would likely say nope to it. And it's a film not exactly for kids, tho camouflaged as one. Definitely not a film that can be "judged by its cover".
As in the book, the experience is a dream, tho not one at night nor in a bed. Max's wolf suit, hopelessly grimed up via days of his dream escapades, is not so when he returns home.
It's done well, but dark. The science teacher, who could have gone in any number of directions in his dissertation, chose a gloomy tack. Even the lighting is dark save for the occasional sunny period. Technically it is superb. The boy is a gifted young actor. But I would offer that if you have a happy kid this is not a film for them. And if not? Well, this flick could actually be a comfort. But maybe you should gauge it yourself first.