As adults it’s easy for us to look back on our childhoods fondly. Toying with your food, sniffing Play Doh and throwing stones into tin cans was a world of fun. What we tend to forget is what hard work it was to be that young; being ten or so was also a time to be frustrated and overwhelmed by, most often that not, the smallest things. And at times like these, there was only one thing for it: escape.

Max (Max Records) is good at escaping. He has the kind of imagination that knows no bounds; the world is his playground, which is how it should be. Try telling that to grown-ups though, whose only agenda seems to be spoil things.

He becomes hurt and disappointed with his older sister when she doesn’t come to his aid during a snowball fight. Venting his anger, he goes into her room and throws a wobbly. Although his mother (Catherine Keener) does her best to calm him down, his rage rises once again when she brings a male ‘friend’ home. His bad behaviour has him sent to his room without dinner, but Max has other ideas.

In his all-in-one wolf outfit, Max runs away, taking a boat ride to a strange island, inhabited by a bunch of monsters. To avoid being eaten, he talks his way into being their king, and more importantly, their friend. He soon bonds with Carol (James Gandolfini), who is the most respected out of the group. Together they begin a regime of monster fun on the island. However, Max soon discovers that being king of a bunch of monsters isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

That's the most awesome shadow hand-puppet I've ever seen!

The first thing you notice about this film, based on the popular children’s book of the same name by Maurice Sendak, is that it’s made from nothing but love of the source material. Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) was the perfect choice to direct such a project; not only does he adore the book, but if the videos on the Blu-ray extras are anything to go by, he may well be a real life version of Big: if anyone has a kid trapped inside an adult’s body, it’s him.

Where the Wild Things Are is more than just a film for children. Sure it has huge, cuddly monsters running around to entertain a younger audience, but at its heart it deals with the complexity of dealing with new emotions. Max may well have escaped to his version of utopia, where playful, furry beasts respond to his every command; but even in this alternate world no-one quite knows how to cope with their feelings for each other.

Carol is a version of Max; all he wants to do is have fun, whatever the consequences. He’s also involved in a strained relationship with KW (Lauren Ambrose), which they are both frustrated by. And when Carol gets angry, like Max, he gets into one almighty strop. Carol looks to Max not only for answers, but to protect them all from their biggest fear: sadness.

Despite the wild things looking like the Banana Splits before they dropped acid, they all suffer from fragile emotions. It’s this emotional frailty that gives the film its heart. They are dysfunctional as both a group and individuals. They see Max as their saviour from social awkwardness, but as they soon discover, he is no different from them.

Where the film shows its bravery is offering no solutions. There is no cutesy plaster stuck on at any point that can make everything better. Even the character of Max isn’t entirely likeable. Not only is he selfish beyond belief, but he is so wrapped up in his many worlds, he struggles to relate to the emotions of those around him. And although this means that he’s far from the being the film’s hero, it does make him all too human. Young Records, with his acting debut as Max, gives a remarkable performance, especially when you consider that he’s having to portray a young boy coping with all these emotions, playing opposite a bunch of hormone-raging Muppets.

Where the film also stands out from other films that find children having adventures in other mystical lands (Harry Potter and the brats of Narnia, for instance) are in the foes they’re fighting. The only battles that emerge in this film are the ones within each and every character as they are confronted with the darkness inside themselves. Only they have the power to self-destruct or save themselves.

The only irritation here, perhaps, is that the film appears to have been honey-glazed in a vat of hippy, dippyness that affects not only its soundtrack, but also its overall soft sixties glow.

Still, it’s a small price to pay for what is otherwise a unique and profoundly enjoyable journey into the joys and tribulations of childhood once again.

It should also be mentioned that not only does it look and sound glorious in its Blu-ray form, fans of kooky animation will be pleased to find that the kooky short Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must be More to Life is exclusive to the Blu-ray version, and despite being a tad disturbing, is definitely worth a look.