Movie Review for Into the Wild (2007)

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Review #542 of 365
Movie Review of Into the Wild (2007) [R] 140 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Where Viewed: Landmark Mayan, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 7 October 2007
Time: 4:00 pm
DVD Release Date: 12 February 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer

Soundtrack: Download now from - or - order the CD below

Directed by: Sean Penn (The Pledge)
Screenplay by: Sean Penn (The Crossing Guard) based on the book by Jon Krakauer

Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Emile Hirsch (Alpha Dog) • Marcia Gay Harden (The Invisible) • William Hurt (Mr. Brooks) • Jena Malone (Pride and Prejudice) • Brian Dierker (debut) • Catherine Keener (Capote) • Vince Vaughn (The Break-Up) • Kristen Stewart (In the Land of Women) • Hal Holbrook (Shade)

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Click to read the spoiler points for Into the Wild

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The credits and interviews and stories all say that Into the Wild was written and directed by Sean Penn based on the acclaimed book by Jon Krakauer. Really, though, isn't it Christopher McCandless, the tragic hero of the film, who's pulling the strings not just of the actors and crew but of the hearts of those who immerse themselves into his life story? The power of this young man, his outlook on life, his some would say misguided an others inspired dreams of really living, come through well on the boyish face of young Emile Hirsch who plays him 24 hours a day, seven days a week for years. It's difficult not to fall in love with his portrayal and, by extension, Christopher McCandless or, at least, the idea of him. His innocence, his passion, his zest for breathing in life make for a charming and intoxicating human being. Everyone he meets, whether for 2 seconds in a line a homeless shelter or simply upon approach as he paddles down the Colorado River toward the Sea of Cortez attracting the eye of some international tourists cooking hotdogs, everyone who meets him adores him almost instantly. The tragic irony of his life, though, is that he tied cold, poisoned, and alone in the wilderness with which he longed to become one. It's not as if he didn't notice the special people who touched his life along his journey, rather, he seemed to doubt that they could be part of his grand adventure. His re-birth began just after graduation from college, Emory in Atlanta, to be precise, and rather than returning home with his father, Walt (William Hurt), mother, Billie (Marcia Gay Harden), and sister, Carine (Jena Malone), he uses deft subterfuge to hide his whereabouts, donates the remaining $24,000 of his college fund to charity, and heads west in his beaten up old car.

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"…a startling film from the perspective of a character study and one man's eventual journey into the true heart of darkness."

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He abandons it and his remaining cash when he's swept up in a flash flood in the desert of New Mexico, becoming officially a leather tramp—he learns this is the term for people like himself who wander the world on foot. Along the way—the way being his ultimate adventure to the wilderness of Alaska—he meets some people who touch his life, sure, but whom are touched in more pronounced way by him. He does exactly what he wants, where he wants, lives off the land, and only occasionally takes up an odd job here and there to earn cash for supplies. He meets up with Rainey (Brian Dierker) and Jan Burres (Catherine Keener), two rubber tramps traveling the US by motor home, and living off their sales of books and crafts. He has no idea how special he will become to them or their 'neighbor', Tracy (Kristen Stewart)—the only girl after college with whom he has the chance of much of a relationship. He works for a time harvesting grain for Wayne Westerberg (Vince Vaughn), where he learns all about how to preserve meat for a long winter in Alaska. But, most moving of all, he meets up with Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook), an elderly gentleman who lost both his wife and daughter to a car accidents back when he was stationed abroad. He's been alone making leather products ever since. Eventually, the two will each have a profound effect on the other's life, but despite the bond they form, it will not be enough to keep Alex Supertramp from what would be his final voyage.

Sean Penn has produced a startling film from the perspective of a character study and one man's eventual journey into the true heart of darkness. Cinematically, ironically, it takes place all over some of the most beautiful parts of the United States, all of which were apparently responsible to a degree in motivated Chris on his journey, but which rarely comes across that well in the film. The film, in that sense, stays more on the interior side of Chris's life. Not to say there aren't a few time where he's standing on the edge of forever gazing out over the expanses of possibility. Rather, while the Wild is the other main character in the story, all too often it's hidden or overshadowed by the wiry beard of Emile Hirsch. And this is a great disappointment because it decreases one's ability to comprehend Chris's decisions. Overall, in fact, the film does not whether intentionally or unintentionally attempt to really explain why Chris did what he did, and the back story on his father's pre-marital relationship explained in voice over by his sister did little to really make sense of Chris's life plan. Most people, especially parents or guardians, who see Into the Wild are going to want to know what was the pivotal event that catalyzed his transformation from perfectly dutiful son to a one that would abandon everything he knew for a life of complete whimsy, penniless existence, and life alone in the wilderness. Given the tragic outcome of the story, they will want to have some greater rationale for it all. The missing expanse and glorious feelings of really being alive would have helped. But, maybe no one wants to be responsible for glorifying that. Imagine what would happen if every graduate of an elite, small, private college immediately up and dropped out of society, gave up all material possessions, and attempted to discover what it really means to be alive? It would be madness and chaos. This is not meant, of course, to minimize the pain that Chris's family endured when he disappeared, and they never knew what happened to him until it was too late. (see spoiler for details if you cannot wait to see the film) Aside from not really getting the West cinematically into the picture to the degree that it should have held, Mr. Penn has recreated a most incredible life journey. Emile Hirsch was outstanding in every way.

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"Emile Hirsch was outstanding in every way."

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Clearly, he got what Chris's life was about, and he has no difficulties in bringing him to life on screen with inner light and obvious respect. William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden surely exemplify the feelings any parent or guardian would have over the willful disappearance of a child—even if they child is technically a grown up. It's too bad that Marcia Gay Harden has had to play the second of these roles in the same year with the first being in The Invisible because there's not much difference between her two performances. William Hurt has rarely seemed more aloof or stoic in his performance either for that matter. The stand outs really were Brian Dierker, the always-lovely Catherine Keener, and Hal Holbrook who, at the ripe age of 72 brings as much heroism and grandfatherly love to Ron Franz as one could ever hope to see. This role is a remarkable achievement for him and so worthy of his legendary career. Sean Penn, known too for his incredible transition from a young actor playing the likes of Fast Times at Ridgemont High's surfer dude Jeff Spicoli into one of the most versatile and hard-hitting actors of his generation, now illustrates the capacity for changing his life again in the area of directing. While this is not his first outing as a director, which not doubt will surprise a few people, this is the first time he's directed a film quite so lush with the emotional fruit.

Artistically, the story is told out of order with elements of Alex Supertramp's harrowing final days of adventure in Alaska seasoned throughout the film interspersed between the stories that got him there in the first place. This decision, it seemed, dismantled the impact of this final chapter in his life, and probably turned out to be not a very good decision. The reasons are quite simple. First, the choice reduced the impact that would have been created by building toward it. Think of it this way. You are making a film about a guy who's climbing a 14,000 ft peak in Colorado, for example. Imagine these two different films of this journey and how they would differ in impact:

We see Anders climbing and climbing and facing conflict and climbing and climbing, and finally he reaches the summit and stands atop it looking down below at what he has achieved.

Versus

We see Anders nearly at the summit of a big mountain. His face is all red. He trips. He rolls 30 ft off a cliff. He gets up. We see Anders at the bottom of a big mountain talking with his family about how he's going to climb this with our without their support. His mother cries. We see Anders mid-mountain fighting off a mountain lion who thinks he looks tasty. Eventually he befriends the lion by rescuing her cub from a roaring river. We see Anders on top of the mountain looking around for his camera. We see Anders back in high school talking about what it means to climb a mountain. We see Anders sitting atop the mountain, unable to find his camera which we know slipped out of his bag in the fight with the lion, so he's sitting there sketching the view with charcoal from his fire on the back of a paper plate that is nearly too wet.

Regardless of the adventure, the point of the story is the accomplishment of the main event. Into the Wild follows the latter scheme, and therefore Alex Supertramp's arrival, at last, in Alaska is anti-climatic—we've already seen him there. His experiences, therefore, are disjointed and disparate. It might make for a nice literary device in the book or a great time-shifting device in a Sandra Bullock film, but it did not work as well in this film. Second, beyond reducing the impact of the discovery elements of the film, it gravely reduced the sense of isolation, sadness, loneliness, and tragedy that would have been achieved in the ending. As it is, it happens in a way that can actually be misunderstood. Some people might get the idea that he went to Alaska more than once. Why not have just let the story unfold chronologically? Guaranteed, the film would have held double the impact.

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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]

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Related Products from Amazon.com

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Other Projects Featuring Into the Wild (2007)
Cast Members
Emile Hirsch • Marcia Gay Harden • William Hurt
Jena Malone • Brian Dierker • Catherine Keener
Vince Vaughn • Kristen Stewart • Hal Holbrook
Director
Sean Penn
Writer
Sean Penn

Book	CD Soundtrack	DVD
VHS

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Review-lite Into the Wild (2007) [max of 150 words]

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Emile Hirsch literally breathes life into the ghost of Christopher McCandless in this biographical story of one young man's journey into the true heart of darkness. Directed by Sean Penn from his own script based on Jim Krakauer's book, Into the Wild, traces Chris's journey from the abandonment of his family and all creature comforts to his eventual demise in a crazy little bus in the middle of the Alaskan frontier. Mr. Penn failed to capture the awe of the West that so inspired and awed Chris and shot the story out of order reducing the impact of the climax. Still, he created an astonishing character study of a guy who surely lived life the way so many of us dream it could be.

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