Anecdotelly and more scientifically, it appears that Spike Jonze has reached his intended audience with his adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are. The Arcade Fire videos/trailers, the Karen O helmed soundtrack, and the currency of short-term nostalgia brought the 20-somethings out in their hoodies and/or skinny jeans and/or printed scarves to see a big-studio “kids’ movie.”

Maybe these viewers have seen all the Pixar/Dreamworks blockbusters and enjoyed them. Maybe not. It’s a pretty safe bet they have seen You, Me, and Everyone We Know, The Neverending Story, and/or The Dark Crystal. They’ve realized there’s something missing from the current mainstream’s view of childhood: the dark and surreal side. And we ain’t talking about whiny Anakin, here.

Jonze has brought a unique visual piece to the big screen. There’s faint lighting through many of the scenes and the special effects don’t bring attention to themselves, but rather the magic of the wild things. And if mise-en-scène isn’t enough for you, the emotional resonance and realism hit the mark, but with the same subtle complexity as the film’s appearance (and sound design, for that matter).

Of course, detractors exist, primarily leaning heavily on the source material, but isn’t it time to holster the “It’s not like the book!” gun for good? Movies and books are not alike. Get over it.

One might quibble with the heavy-handed use of the soundtrack or question Jonze’s motive or message, but such issues, like hating on well-dressed hipsters, only get in the way of enjoying an artistic accomplishment.