FROM the director of the surreal Being John Malkovich and Adaptation comes the grizzly adventure Where The Wild Things Are.
When lonely boy Max (Max Records) has an altercation with his mother, he impulsively decides to run away by sailing off into the sunset.
After days at sea he comes across an island which appears to has signs of life.
However, the inhabitants are not humans - they are large furry monsters.
Max quickly befriends the creatures and becomes their king, promising to make them all happy. But he soon finds he cannot always make his friends happy all the time.
Jaw-dropping
Spike Jonze has a reputation for offering a slanted view on reality in his quirky work, so a marriage between the imaginative director and Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book has been an eagerly anticipated event.
Thankfully it doesn't disappoint.
Stunning cinematography combined with jaw-dropping set pieces effectively capture the sense of childlike wonder in a beautifully crafted tale of friendship and family.
The decision to use puppetry for the monsters rather than complete CGI gives a tangible and authentic feel to the film, but they are really brought to life by the flawless vocal cast.
Comical calmness
Chris Cooper adds a comical calmness to his bird like Douglas, while Catherine O'Hara's depressive Judith deftly adds a dollop of antagonism to the proceedings.
But it is James Gandolfini as the frustrated Carol who shines, bouncing off a startlingly strong performance by relative newcomer Max Records who carries the film on his shoulders admirably.
Complementing the inspired visuals is a folksy soundtrack by Karen O, which fits snuggly in with Jonze's extravagant aesthetic.
Despite being based on a children's story, the film is more focused on older audiences both in sense of tone and pace.
Dealing with themes which may be lost on younger viewers and by not following the child-friendly structure of usual Hollywood fare, Where The Wild Things Are is more an off-beat, indie-family film.
But with it's colourful creatures and imagination-stirring ideas, it is sure to help all ages find their inner monster.
7/10 - Ferocious fun.