Into the Wild (2007) User Reviews

TIFF07, review 3: Facing the blind deaf stone alone Into the Wild

[jaredmobarak · 9/10 · 16 September 2007]

Sean Penn's new movie Into the Wild arrives on the wave of a well-regarded novel about a college graduate who decides that the anger and violence in civilized society is too much to handle and commences a journey through nature in order to truly live life as it was meant to be. This film is a wonderful glimpse into the life of a kid, wise beyond his years, and the bonds that he creates with people along the way. A victim of excess in wealth and a shortage of love, Christopher McCandless hid inside his mind behind knowledge and philosophy, building up his intellectual strength, as well as the physical, in order to complete his trek, ultimately leading him to Alaska. Penn never falls into the trap of showing too much heartbreak on the side of McCandless's parents, because he doesn't want the audience to second-guess the decision he made. There is no debate to be had here, our protagonist has no alternative but to get out and live off the land. Only being completely self-sufficient can he grasp a meaning for his life and one day perhaps go back with that knowledge fully learned.

Emile Hirsch is absolutely brilliant with his good-natured attitude and affable charm. His character believes that human contact is not necessary for happiness and never seeks out relationships. However, his character is so likable that they find him and latch on, not to change his mind, but to experience his level of being and hopefully learn something from him and help enlarge his vocabulary on life. The people he meets help him to fully grasp the decision of life in the wild and be able to survive it. Never coming off condescendingly to those he crosses paths with, Hirsch always holds a smile on his face. One scene, where he meets up with a couple of people from Europe, proves how contagious a clear outlook on life without the troubles of societal restraints can be. These three kids have a blast, if only for a few minutes—with Hirsch being chased by the police for rafting with no license—and it makes one wonder if maybe we all should take a journey into nature and feel the freedom and full warmth of heart that a lack of stress to succeed in the business world can give.

All the supporting players are magnificent at helping show the side to McCandless that Penn needs on display to succeed. Hal Holbrook, Brian Dierker, and Catherine Keener are by far the best of these side characters with Vince Vaughn and Kirsten Stewart adding some charm too. Dierker, Keener, and Stewart play hippie, flower-child type roles and allow Hirsch to show off how modest and unselfish he is. This is the family he deserved to have from birth and he is the son they wished their lives had earned them. At their best, all four together give some of the most emotionally charged moments in the film. Holbrook, on-the-other-hand, helps give insight into the philosophy that Hirsch needs to live with in order to survive the loneliness, looking him in the face, to come in Alaska. It is truly fascinating to see how every person adds something to his overall experience and to the tools he needs.

Hirsch deserves a lot of credit because he truly outshines the film itself with his dedication and sacrifice to the role. The length of time needed to allow him the ability to lose the weight necessary for a main plot point in the movie is crazy. If the time wasn't that long and Hirsch did it all rapidly, I'm even more impressed. With all that, there are many instances free of dialogue that he needs to carry with body language and actions alone. True, much of this is enhanced by a wonderful soundtrack from Eddie Vedder, but evenso it is a remarkable performance. Kudos to Sean Penn for a gorgeous filming job also. He captures the countryside with grace, while infusing many moments of visual style by slow-motioning glimpses, knowing when to show the family left behind, utilizing informative and essential voice-over, and even breaking the fourth wall. When Hirsch first looks into the camera, at the audience, it does not seem unnatural in the slightest, but instead an amazing link for the viewers to take a look into his soul like those that crossed his path have. McCandless is so pure that it almost feels like glimpsing the calm protectiveness of God.

Touching

[gbill-74877 · 9/10 · 10 July 2019]

Stunning scenery, brilliant directing from Sean Penn, soulful songs from Eddie Vedder, and a remarkable, true story. Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) is a college graduate from an affluent upbringing who decides to abandon his possessions and money and to live life out on the road, ala Jack London or Jack Kerouac during parts of their lives. He's a fascinating character because of his idealism and his nonconformity; he's intelligent and kind, and yet he doesn't value human relationships, preferring solitude and a deep connection to nature. Hirsch plays the part very well, displaying an easy, personable warmth but at the same time a determination to go his own way, damn the consequences. He also really looks the part, including scenes where he had to lose quite a bit of weight. His character is troubled from an upbringing that was riddled with strife, and in one moments says so simply (and sadly) "Some people feel like they don't deserve love. They walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past," and yet we get the feeling that is just one aspect of a complicated and yet simple guy.

I think some people are turned off by what they feel was a glorification, but I didn't feel that way at all. We see the trail of tears he leaves behind him, with his parents and sister devastated by not hearing from him, and him ignoring some of the kindly advice he receives along the way. He is also brutal to an old man (Hal Holbrook) who so very generously offers to adopt him, in what is a fantastic scene. Holbrook is also brilliant when he tells the young man "when you forgive, you love." We see him take risks which pay off (kayaking down a rampaging river), and of course others which do not (going into the true wild of Alaska without a map or enough preparation). For that he is sometimes vilified or mocked, but I admired him for not conforming like the rest of us, and for living life on his own terms. He certainly was not cheated. And in the end, he has his moment of realization, that "happiness (is) only real when shared", which is a moment that is incredibly poignant.

I loved the literary references in the film, starting with the title card quoting Byron, which seems so perfect: "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods; / There is a rapture on the lonely shore; / There is society, where none intrudes, / By the deep sea, and music in its roar; / I love not man the less, but Nature more..."

And at the end as I thought about McCandless's life, I thought that this passage from Thoreau was nowhere more suitable: "Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

Real American Beauty - an exceptional movie

[dinglis-2 · 10/10 · 10 September 2007]

I've never posted a comment regarding a movie but feel compelled to after attending a screening of Into The Wild at the Toronto Film Festival last night. I won't speak to story here as it's covered in the other comments.

This is a movie of real beauty. It made me cry. I felt moved in a way that happens very rarely. It was an inspiration.

The feelings it evoked were all based on the power of the acting and the writing. The words were real and human. The relationships seemed real and human. This may not seem like a great feat - but I consider it a true rarity. It didn't feel calculated and artificial, like so many movies (read: Crash - but I'm not here to bash that...). It was very organic, natural and (I can't say it enough) just beautiful. Cripes, it's making me sound like a hippie, for heaven's sake. This for me was Penn's best work since Indian Runner.

What it reminded me of...

• Terence Malik - Herzog? - in a strange way Cassavettes? - Hal Ashby (more Coming Home than Harold & Maude...) - even a bit of Ken Loach

• Ruby in Paradise - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Five Easy Pieces - Easy Rider

... but when I list those it's not because of plot similarities (though there are some) or style (although I think you can definitely see the influence of some great films) - it's again because of the heart of it. I heard a few people at the screening comment that the film was "too long" but I don't agree. I think exploring a journey of this magnitude required visiting all of the people he touched and taking the time to see the land.

Hal Holbrook was just perfect, as was the cast as a whole, and I think Emile Hirsch is really going places - he was fantastic and he owned the role. Eddie Vedder's music worked perfectly as well - not distracting or quirky - just a part of the whole.

The film received a standing ovation and quite a few tears were shed. Magic.

Justice done.

[trigger_jam · 10/10 · 8 October 2007]

The sensitivity with which Krakauer captured the essence of McCandless and his adventure is extended aptly to the movie format by Sean Penn. Even if one might not be able to appreciate the purpose for Alex's journey, I don't think anyone would be able to deny that Into the Wild is a sensitive and poignant cinematic experience. There are scenes in this movie that one will never be able to forget, particularly the ending sequence. This movie will easily pull its audience into a philosophical debate for the truth about who was right and wrong isn't easy to distinguish. Sean Penn certainly doesn't try to answer those questions, questions that McCandless' life left for his family and the rest of us. Penn does well to tread a delicate objective but not indifferent line. Certainly the best movie of this year and one of the best ever made. The story, the story itself is great.

Beautiful Film, Even Better Than The Book

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 21 July 2009]

For a movie to be even better than a good book is no small feat. Yet, that's how I felt after watching this film. It really impressed me. One of the reasons is the fantastic cinematography. Man, this is a beautifully filmed and, at 142 minutes, there are a lot of great scenes to admire.

Sean Penn directed and Eddie Gautier was the Director Of Photography. I can't stand Penn as a person but fair-is-fair and I think he's great as a director, having seen his work in "The Pledge" and "The Crossing Guard." The main actor, Emile Hirsch, who plays "Chris McCandless" (a.k.a. "Alexander Supertramp" reminded me of Leonardo DiCaprio with his looks, build and voice inflection. He is very credible as the young guy who wants nothing to do with materialistic society and dreams of living in the wilds of Alaska. The problem was that he was unprepared and underestimated what he was up against.

Two people who fascinated me the most in here were two extremes, age-wise - Hal Holbrook and Kristen Stewart. It was really great to see the veteran Holbrook ("Ron France") again. He was about 82 when he made this film and hadn't acted in a film in a few years. He was terrific, too. He had some of the most memorable scenes in the story. Meanwhile, teenager Stewart was captivating as "Tracy Tatro," who had a crush on "Alex." This young woman is on her way to stardom.

Brian Dierker and Catherine Keener also were really, really interesting as the aging hippie couple, "Rainey" and "Jan." I kept thinking, I know this guy when listening to Dierker's voice, finally guessing it was Jeff Bridges underneath all the beard....but it Dierker, a guy who rarely acts in films.

Knowing the book, the only part of the film that caught be off-guard was the young Swedish couple. I don't remember them in the book but I'll never forget this in this film!! One could debate the pros and cons of Chris McCandless for hours, so no sense going into that here. I thought the film was pretty kind to him. You read more in the book about how he hurt a lot of people with his silence. Either way, it's a a fascinating story and a beautiful film.

Captured his essence

[Lauriparker · 10/10 · 25 September 2007]

I read the book in 1996. Like others, it moved me profoundly. I created a series of prints of my interpretation of Chris. I haven't read the book since.

This film transported me right back to the spirit that Krakauer brought to life in the book. I spent a few years traveling alone from 1994-1996. This film reminded my why I left and why I returned. Ten years later, all grown up with all the crap, I'm haunted again by Chris. What a well done job.

Thank you Sean & John. You did it right.

By the way, try to catch Holly Figueroa's song "Dream in Red" inspired by Into The Wild.

Real Life, Love

[kylesf49 · 10/10 · 7 October 2007]

Honestly let me just say this 1st Sean Pean made this story come to life, true life in every moment in the film. This movie has nothing wrong with it, it is perfect in every way shape and form. He did something that brought me to something I never could understand of what either i have to do or what i need to do in my life. If you want a movie from the heart this is it, if you want a movie of love this is it, if you want a movie with real life emotions well this is all of them. Its long but you'll probably want more when you don't want to leave your seat and just live in the moment of they story. So from my heart to yours this movie will speak to you know matter what.

A most unique...but not entirely pleasant viewing experience.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 6 February 2020]

There is a certain irony to the story from "Into the Wild", as Hollywood, the land of excess, does a film about a man who got rid of all his possessions in order to live simply off the land. It would be like me (at 250 pounds) writing a diet book! Now I am not attacking Sean Penn or the film or any of the ones who made the film...but in general I just cannot associate Hollywood with the life of Christopher McCandless!

The story begins with Chris graduating from Emory University, a prestigious school in Georgia. Now you'd think he would be on the fast track to financial success...but instead he gives away nearly everything he has and heads into the wilderness to live a bit like a nomad. It seems Chris was tired of a life of acquiring things and wanted to live simply...and mostly alone. He also seemed to be running away from himself....or at least who he and his family were. Ultimately his life would take him from the American Southwest all the way to the wilds of Alaska. This tale is based on a true story, as told by Chris' sister in the film.

I think this is a movie where I enjoyed the style more than the story itself. I liked the simple style, the simple music and the mostly lesser-named stars in the picture. I also respect how much Emile Hirsch put himself out for the role...his weight loss throughout the movie was dramatic. As a trained therapist, however, I couldn't help but think the Chris would have benefited a lot from therapy before taking such a huge leap in his life. He was clearly, in an odd way, suicidal and I was concerned how the film seemed to romanticize this. Overall, an interesting but often unpleasant and overlong movie...worth seeing once but not a film I'd rush to recommend.

2008's Version of On the Road?

[mstomaso · 8/10 · 1 May 2008]

Who Is Chris McCandless? A true supertramp? An obsessive, emotionally damaged egomaniac? Suicidal thrill-seeker? A Kerouac-like drifter addicted to the search for an ever-evasive truth? A high-functioning schizophrenic? The 21st century youth culture reincarnation of John Gault? Or just a kid going through a difficult time and looking for some distance to sort it all out?

Sean Penn's pop-philosophical examination of this young man's voyage across America, to Alaska, and to the depths of his young soul will give you an interpretation at least. While it is not clear exactly whose interpretation we are seeing, it is very clear that Penn respects his subject and gave this film about as much thought and power as he could inject it with. And the film did remind me of something very true about the self-righteous naiveté of youth.

I am not concerned at all with the accuracy of the film, and, while it is tempting to compare this film to Werner Herzog's excellent but less fictionalized "Grizzly Man", the subjects are really too widely disparate; Herzog and Penn's perspective on humanity is too different to produce a meaningful comparison. The targets of this comparison, too big and too easy. But I will make one comment about the two films - Penn's film is much more or a tribute to its protagonist than Herzog's.

I found Into the Wild to be a gripping, thoughtful film. The script was good, but sometimes a bit pretentious - occasionally crossing the line between character development and character worship. Penn's direction and cinematography are masterful. The acting - every member of the cast included - is absolutely excellent.

Recommended - but not for light cheerful entertainment.

Oscar material

[h-talbot · 8/10 · 12 January 2008]

I watched this movie on the aeroplane after searching through the movie list and not finding anything else interesting to watch. I didn't even know what the film was called until the ending credits. However, what I saw was amazing - the acting and scenery was excellent and the plot was thought provoking. More people should watch this to appreciate the message to us all. I was also surprised to see it was was actually a true story which made it even more interesting (I love films that are based on true stories). It is one of the best movies i've seen that portrays the contrast between a materialistic world vs the natural world that is at the core of the universe. This is a film that can easily be overlooked but not forgotten.

Good but not great

[grantss · 7/10 · 21 May 2021]

Good, but not as great as it is made out to be. Great scenery and cinematography, like a National Geographic documentary. Great soundtrack by Eddie Vedder. The central plot is very interesting and thought-provoking, but it gets done to death. From a point the movie just drifts. A shorter, more focussed film would have been much more watchable.

Emile Hirsch is great in the lead role and really unhabits the part (down to the emaciated look). The supporting cast are a Hollywood who's who - William Hurt, Hal Holbrook, Catherine Keener, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn, Jena Malone, Kristen Stewart.

A masterpiece

[charlesjohnston2002 · 10 September 2007]

Sean Penn's artistic contribution to cinema in my lifetime has been staggering. The films he's directed have included some of my favourite performances from amazing actors pushed to their absolute limit.

I feel like everything he's ever done in his career so far, every tiny nuance, has been distilled into this incredible film. From start to finish it is beyond inspiring - by the end, it lifts right off the ground.

The first time the soundtrack really kicked in, I felt that Eddie Vedder's score seemed too loud. Then I realized that my only complaint was merely me resisting the full experience. The whole point of it all was to let go and not be afraid of going that one step too far.

Exceptional in every possible way

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 20 May 2008]

Sean Penn's Into the Wild is beautiful, staggering, thoughtful, a labor of love made by a filmmaker with real passion for the story he set out to tell. Like a Terrence Malick picture, Into the Wild transcends any conception such as "if you only see one film this year" and goes beyond the very notion of "Oscar-worthy". If one really has to say something on the subject, then Into the Wild should have shared the Best Picture award with No Country for Old Men, but that kind of thinking is besides the point because Penn's masterpiece is more than a movie, or a work of art for that matter: it's a life experience.

A rebel at heart, Penn clearly identifies, at least on a few levels, with the film's unconventional protagonist, a bright young boy named Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), whose astounding true story was first recounted in Jon Krakauer's book which gives the picture its title. Christopher had it all: loving parents (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) and sister (Jena Malone), excellent grades and a most promising future. Then, one fine day the 20-year old college graduate decided that wasn't really what he wanted, took his law school fund and disappeared, setting out for a journey to the heart of America. "I'm going into the wild" the self-renamed Alex Supertramp wrote in his journal, and though he occasionally ran into people (Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn and others) he would connect with in a deeper way, that's where he really belonged: away from civilization, just him, his elementary tools and the pure, untarnished nature surrounding him.

Christopher's journey, which is carried out with just the basic resources one needs to survive (no cell phone or other gadgets), is a modern odyssey of sorts, a quest for something that was lost forever and won't be found in the near future. In a world like ours, where technology rules all, a choice like Christopher's would be met with disbelief and probably derision. That only heightens the intensity of the character's message, which is also what the director aims to tell us: we need to rediscover ourselves before it's too late. It doesn't matter whether we are young or old, as the protagonist touchingly teaches an elderly man (Hal Holbrook, the only cast-member to be nominated for an Oscar), the important thing is we give it a serious try.

To simply call this a film isn't enough: in one of the most amazing combinations of efforts in the history of movie-making, the story, Penn's soulful direction, Hirsch's painfully real performance (will he ever be this good again?) and Eddie Vedder's elegiac songs (an essential soundtrack for any true film-lover) merge into something that's almost too powerful to describe in words: you have to see it to believe it.

Into the Wild isn't an "easy" film: it will leave you very affected, possibly devastated, but also as enriched as one can ever be after seeing a genuine masterwork. It will ignite real thoughts about life instead of the phony reflections so many "issue movies" try to induce. It will hit the gut, the heart and the mind in equal measure, and once the initial wave of emotional overflow has passed you will feel immensely rewarded. Into the Wild does this because it isn't merely a motion picture: it is art, life, freedom and nature, all together in a mesmerizing piece of visual poetry.

An epic adventure! A masterpiece of a film!

[bitemybullet · 10/10 · 16 June 2008]

How can you describe a film like Into the Wild? One of the greats & by far my favourite film of all time. The only film I have ever seen which manages to capture the true spirit of adventure. The beauty of Into the Wild for me is that what Christopher McCandless is running from is never as important as what he is running to. Sean Penn has directed this film with magnificent precision and imaginative grace. Every scene, every image used in this film tells it's own story and the countless people Chris meets along the way are as magical and integral to his journey as his survival in the wilderness. I love the beautiful simplicity of this film and how it has captured nature in both it's breathtaking and dangerous forms so perfectly.

Emile Hirsch is a sensational actor and helps make Into the Wild what it is. His acting is totally believable, and the story often trips along with him silently acting, using nothing but his body and facial expressions to put across emotions and thoughts. A perfect cast alongside Emile, including the likes of Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart and Hal Holbrook, all help make Into the Wild an enjoyable watch.

Into the Wild has a very special quality to it, something which I can't quite put my finger on. It is a culmination of things, from the beautiful imagery, the fantastic script, the amazing cast, the often mesmerising quotations and of course the feeling of adventure and of true freedom. It is a unique vision into the life of a young man searching for himself in a dangerous environment who comes to realise that the true meaning of happiness may not be what he first thought. I highly recommend this film. It is one that will stay with your for a long long time.

The Tragic Journey of a Spoiled and Selfish Dreamer

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 14 August 2016]

Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch) is the son of Billie McCandless (Marcia Gay Harden) and Walt McCandless (William Hurt) and older brother of Carine McCandless (Jena Malone), When he graduates from Emory University, he has grade to join Havard. Instead, he gives the savings for charity and decides to travel to Alaska to live in the wilderness using the alias Alexander Supertramp. Along his journey, Alex meets persons that supports and like him. But he proceeds with his of hermit with tragic end.

"Into the Wild" is a long and overrated film based on the true story of the tragic journey of a spoiled and selfish dreamer. After graduating, Chris McCandless decides to leave his life of petit bourgeois, his family, his possessions and achievements because he has two childhood traumas: he learnt that their parents were not married when he was younger and he witnessed their arguments. Therefore, it is an unsatisfactory explanation for such drastic attitude. Chris does not send news to his parents since he hates them. But his sister suffers with the absence of news from her brother and he is so selfish that he does not call or write a letter even for her. Another strange point is no reference to drugs in the hippie camps. Therefore, the story is unpleasant and weird as a drama. The cinematography and the locations are the best this movie can offer to the viewer. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Na Natureza Selvagem" ("Into the Wilderness")

Great movie

[absolut034 · 9/10 · 24 August 2007]

I saw this movie at an advanced screening in Nashville on August 23, 2007. Although it was a little long, it was a great movie.

The movie follows an Emory grad who struggles to find the meaning of life. He travels across the country (ultimately to Alaska) and along the way he touches lives and becomes a man.

This movie really makes a person reevaluate their priorities in life and I personally found it to be inspiring. The director did a beautiful job with the story line and the landscapes were incredible.

Vince Vaughn plays a small part and is his usual lovable self. Emile Hirsch was wonderful and has a bright future in acting.

One shocker was the random brief nudity of men and women.

This movie is worth seeing at least once.

Didn't Find This Movie Remotely Moving

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 12 October 2007]

It's too bad that I saw Werner Herzog's amazing documentary "Grizzly Man" before I saw "Into the Wild." One can't help but be reminded of Herzog's film while watching Penn's, or the fact that Herzog's is so much better.

Both films have as their focus troubled young men who travel to the Alaskan wilderness to escape a society in which they feel they don't belong. Both men have persecution complexes of a sort, and feel that there's something noble in their efforts to commune with the wilderness. But "Grizzly Man" is an objective, journalistic account of Timothy Treadwell, and Herzog's fascination is with the obsessions that made him tick. "Into the Wild," being a fictional film, is already once-removed from the real-life story of Christopher McCandless, and director Penn piles on so much bombast and padding, that the impact of the story becomes blunted under a veneer of pure Hollywood studio.

My biggest obstacle in liking this film is that I didn't like the character of Christopher, nor did I like Emile Hirsch, the actor who plays him. McCandless, who gives himself the moniker Alexander Supertramp once he's set off on his odyssey, is an arrogant 20-year old who thinks he has the world figured out, and woe be to anyone who tries to tell him otherwise. His psychological troubles stem from the emotionally (and the movie suggests at times physically) abusive environment he grew up in. His parents are played by William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden as cartoonish caricatures of Southern aristocracy; his sister, played by Jena Malone, is the only one who Christopher believes understands him, and her character provides the film with one of the most thudding voice over narrations I've ever heard in a movie. We get it -- he shuns the materialistic world as a way of shunning his affluent parents. But a two and a half hour movie built around a kid learning a lesson that many of us already knew going into it makes for a mighty tedious movie indeed.

That lesson, learned too late, is that human companionship makes life worth living, and that happiness means very little if you have no one to share it with. Many recognizable actors show up throughout the film as strangers Christopher comes across and develops fleeting relationships with, and all of them have a chance to pontificate. The trouble is that all of them (especially Catherine Keener as a hippie and Hal Holbrook as a lonely old man) are so much more interesting than Christopher himself that we wish the movie would stay with them and let Christoper be on his merry way.

This movie really copped out as far as I'm concerned. Everyone Christopher comes across is gently understanding of his plan even if they try to discourage him. Not once does someone tell him that his actions represent supreme cowardice and hypocrisy. If he was so bothered by the state of society, why didn't he do something productive to help change it rather than run away and hide? Maybe this is the point Penn was trying to make, but I felt like Penn himself couldn't decide whether Christopher's behavior was foolish or admirable.

I feel like I was meant to come away from this film moved by the tragedy of a life wasted. But I wasn't moved at all, nor did I find it all that tragic. "Grizzly Man" -- now THERE's a film that moved me.

Grade: B-

I have to say Oscar Material.

[bradpittsbodyguard · 9/10 · 11 September 2007]

I have to say Sean you did buddy. This movie is ultimately awesome!! We need more films like this. I had the opportunity to see this film last night and I loved it from the very beginning. The cinematography was absolutely awesome and breath-taking. If more people would worry about other human beings rather materialistic things we would be in much better environment. I truly believe Happiness is SHARING as well. When you see a "HOMELESS" looking person, or someone who doesn't have what you have, you should NEVER judge how they got there. I have to tell you this movie really touched me and makes me want to live more to the fullest to make a difference and to be a better person.

This movie makes you think of your life

[krips-from-iit-kgp · 10/10 · 17 July 2009]

This is a great movie, which makes you think of your life. I don't know why did I cry so hard when I saw this movie. Maybe the character Christopher (Alex) resembled my own life. And I think, it resembles the life of every guy to a certain extent, as everyone of us go for escapism at some points of our life due to various pressures. This movie shows the life of a man who leaves every thing, absolutely everything and go for an ultimate and pure escapism, and what does he learn and realize at the end. With awesome Eddie Vedder's track throughout the movie, this movie is enlightening as well as entertaining and a very important movie.

An epic American adventure

[Samiam3 · 9/10 · 31 July 2010]

Of all the animals shown in this movie: The Kodiak Bear, the Grey Wolf, the Bald Eagle, the Moose etc, only one has the ability to make dreams.... that animal is man.

From director Sean Penn, Into the Wild captures in detail one of the defining features of the human species; to be able to have a dream, and the desire to fulfill it. Despite a somewhat clunky two and a half hour running length (which may feel loger depending on how old you are) Into the Wild is an adventure that becomes one with the viewer. It is a demanding project but the work has paid off nicely, and I'll raise my glass to it for that.

Into the Wild is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless. After graduating college as an A+ student in 1992, he chose to leave his materialist society and stuck up family behind. He chaged his name to Alex Supertramp, and embarked on a quest for Alaska. On his journey, he covered thousands of miles of American wilderness, on foot, by train, car, kayak, meeting a plethora of weird and wonderful people along the way.

It is absolutely vital for the movie that the character of Chris/Alex is one whose company we can enjoy. After all, his journey is ours. Emile Hirsh's performance is definitely sufficient. He is a little wacky but in a good way. He is also talented, bold, determined, and fun to be around. I suppose it is also worth noting that he has a pretty face.

A movie like Into the Wild is also demanding on the crew. After all, the storyline covers about half the country, which of course means lots of transportation is needed, and lots of landscape imagery. The camera is all over the place, referring of course to locations (not movement). Into the Wild is a gorgeously photographed picture, which is backed up with a great song score from Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. I remember a couple years ago during Oscar season being annoyed that his songs were snubbed, because of eligibility rules.

My one problem with the movie, is that the editing feels a bit tripy. Into the Wild frequently plays with time in a Pulp Fiction manner, and some of that time concerns flashbacks related to family melodrama. These scenes are conveniently short but they don't seem important enough to be worth showing. I suppose it's also worth mentioning that the last half hour could use a few trims.

No movie is perfect of course, and no human being is perfect either, it is not until the end of the film when we realize that about Chris. But I'll say this much, the journey was worth it, and if you can spare an hour and a half for Into the Wild, I think you will agree with me on that.

Well made Movie but...

[eskimosound · 9/10 · 27 January 2022]

It's a well made movie but the guy that it's about is an idiot and must be seen as one. This movie puts him as a hero finding freedom where in reality he was a young lad, Ill prepared and died from starvation. He turned his back on everything and it killed him. The cleverly thought out monologues are just naive trite. There's no Wisdom here, it's a sad story about a death that shouldn't have happened. The guy was an idiot.

This film can not be evaluated like this.

[mertvanli · 10/10 · 3 March 2019]

Understanding this movie is not about your knowledge in movie sectory. This is something coming from heart. You will never be able to understand it if your arms didnt horripilated after the ending. This movie is the pure beauty. But it can be a considerable danger too. The feeling of being natural can make you forget who you are. Or being like this can be an excuse for running from your life too. Those who felt the movie inside their soul will understand what im saying. I hope i never lose this feeling.I hope the world can't change me from who i am...

An excellent film that tells the life story of a controversial adventurer of our time.

[filipemanuelneto · 9/10 · 8 May 2021]

I went to see this film without reading much about it, driven by curiosity. It is an excellent film, although it is difficult to see, and the main character has ideas, attitudes and motivations that can be discussed. Very well directed by Sean Penn, the film tells the life (brief, since he died very young) of Christopher McCandless, a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp. As the film shows, he was from a wealthy family and had a good education, but he carried with him the revolt against his abusive father and his passive mother. Then, he acquired a lot of disdain for capitalist, materialistic, consumerist society in which he never saw himself: burning and giving his money, abandoning everything that was not essential, he left his old life behind and started to wandering, as a vagabond, in the middle of the wild, before moving on to his great goal: Alaska.

Much more than the film itself, it is the figure of Chris McCandless that proves to be fascinating: he could be seen as a utopian idealist in search of a dream, a spoiled young man angered against his family or a traumatized man, fiercely determined to purge his past through destructive self-denial. Personally, I admire his iron determination, the way he did not hesitate to venture out, against all odds and, not infrequently, against all good sense. But I admire that because I would never have the courage (or perhaps the recklessness?) to imitate him. In any case, he is a figure who will remain controversial and will certainly continue to raise questions and attract fans and critics.

I really enjoyed the work of Emile Hirsch for the film. The actor worked hard and gave himself completely to the character, not hesitating to dispense the help of stunts and to lose weight until he looked like a war survivor. He truly embodied the character and gave us an excellent dramatic job. Beside him, there is a wide and interesting range of supporting actors who brighten up the film: Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Catherine Keener. In some brief but important characters, we have the easily recognizable names of Vince Vaughn and Kristen Stewart. Much more remarkable and interesting, Hal Holbrook's work in a philosophical character that only appears for a few minutes, earned him the nomination for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Technically, the film has several points worthy of praise and positive mention, starting with an excellent camera work, which makes the most of the natural beauty of the filming locations, and a great cinematography where light and shadow are magnificently used. It is a very long film, but the editing work was excellent, and I felt that the story told fully justifies the two and a half hours in length. The sets are good (especially the bus) and also the costumes, particularly that of the main character, with his hair and beard giving him an increasingly wild, sloppy look. The makeup team's work also deserves a note of praise for the way it left Hirsch's face particularly emaciated and pale for some scenes.

Culture Is Mechanical

[DanielStephens1988 · 9/10 · 25 July 2019]

Culture is an ethereal abstract thing you can't quite pin down, and yet it's such a pivotal player in our life. Culture is the context for almost everything you do especially everything we do socially with other people. Chris Mccandless understood that consciousness is purely a solo activity. You can't increase consciousness through culture. Your ability to self-actualize will only come down to your inner work. Consciousness will not grow in a group environment because it produces all the classic mechanical symptoms of a cult. Fundamentally society is trying to take consciousness, and trying to distribute it to the masses through a culture mechanism, and that always makes it mechanical. It suffocates consciousness, and that's the problem.

The most significant cult you got to be afraid of is not those little cults it's the massive cult. The superset of all cults which is almost entirely transparent to you and it feels just like reality. It feels like it couldn't be any other way.

Still phenomenal

[xrczhsckp · 10/10 · 13 October 2023]

Since its release I have watched this movie countless times, and I still know I will be going back once again to drift away into its beautifully told story. This film is well acted, meticulously written screenplay and a fitting soundtrack. Each character Christopher meets along his journey has their own backstory, their own wounded history to be told adding more color to this magnificent story a brave young man. Thank you Sean Penn for turning this book into a feature film. This is still Emile Hirsch's best work yet and he had a lot to do as he is the on screen at almost all times in the entire film.