I remember the pictures from the book more than I remember the story, so obviously I’m not a purist. In event, I thought the adaptation was great but at the same time is certainly not for all kids. That said, I know little about child development, so find some other reviewer if you need specific tips on if this is right for your kid.
There are rather scary bits as well as a heavy dose of psychological realism combined with troubled personality types. The sugar that helps the dark parts go down is first and foremost appropriate absurdities of childhood combined with Max’s storytelling ability, Jim Henson studios created monsters, and to a lesser extent the neat backdrops.
My one sentence summary would be to take the comic strip Peanuts but merge the real life adults personality-types with the fantasies of the Snoopy oriented strips. Thus, the joy of childhood oriented trailer is fairly deceptive though cool in its own right.
I’d say catching it in theaters is probably most important for muppet monsters/Dark Crystal fans. If you care less about that sort of thing, it’s probably okay to catch it on DVD.
Comments