Metacritic Movie Ratings
Where the Wild Things Are Reviews

4.0

out of 100

Metascore^®
Generally favorable reviews
Based on a weighted average of all critic review scores.

A sample of reviews from critics across the country.

100

out of 100

Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
This is one of the year's best. To paraphrase the Wild Thing named KW, I could eat it up, I love it so.

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100

out of 100

The New York TimesManohla Dargis
With Where the Wild Things Are Jonze has made a work of art that stands up to its source and, in some instances, surpasses it.

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88

out of 100

USA TodayClaudia Puig
Like the book, the movie blends a primitive quality with an imaginative artfulness. It also amplifies upon the story's gentle, sly wit.

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75

out of 100

Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie felt long to me, and there were some stretches during which I was less than riveted. Is it possible that there wasn't enough Sendak story to justify a feature-length film?

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60

out of 100

VarietyTodd McCarthy
Director Spike Jonze's sharp instincts and vibrant visual style can't quite compensate for the lack of narrative eventfulness that increasingly bogs down this bright-minded picture.

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60

out of 100

The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
Where the film falters is Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers' adaptation, which fails to invest this world with strong emotions.

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40

out of 100

Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
When faced as a director with the rudderless screenplay he (Jonze) co-wrote with Eggers, he's been powerless to energize it in any involving way. Sometimes you are better off with 10 sentences than tens of millions of dollars, and this is one of those times.

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