Where the Wild Things Are (film)/WMG

The Wild Things are how Max views himself and the people around him.

Each one of the Things is either part of his personality, or someone in his life as represented in his little mind.

• Carol: The most impulsive and immature Thing is supposed to be Max. This is how Max feels all the time.
• K.W. is his mother and sister rolled into one. Her loving compassion towards Max is his mother, and her loner attitude and not wanting to be around the other Things is his sister. Both his mother and his sister love him dearly though, which is why they're one thing.
• Douglas: Douglas is Max's moral code. Douglas is always there to calm Carol when he starts to act up, but it doesn't always succeed.
• Judith: Judith is the first half of Max's temper. She is the anger, passion, energy, and drive inside of Max. Though she can be aggressive and demanding, she is also fun loving and willing to do things.
• Ira: Ira is the Blue oni to Judith's Red Oni. He is the second half of Max's temper. He is calm, passive, nonchalant, and indifferent. Though he is calm and collected, he's also a push over and very passive. He is the recessive half of Max's temper.
• Alexander: Alexander is how Max feels around bigger people. Alex, like Max, is constantly being ignored, belittled, and looked over by the others.
• Bernard (the bull): Bernard is the suppressed sadness Max feels constantly. This is more than likely due to his father being no longer around, and his mother and sister being too busy for him anymore.

Max's mom works for Pixar

We hear her talking on the phone in one scene to a Mr. Lasseter. Perhaps she's taking a break from work?

Max had been kidnapped by a group of pedophiles

The Wild Things are just his image of them. They are a group of immature men and women who have nefarious plans, but they never got past the stage of giving Max everything he wants before Max escapes. If he would have stayed, he would have ended up "eaten" just like the other kids before him.