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Into the Wild [2007]
from Paramount Home Entertainment (UK)
starring Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener
directed by Sean Penn

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

A superb cast and an even-handed treatment of a true story buoy Into the Wild, Sean Penn's screen adaptation of Jon Krakauer's bestselling book. Emile Hirsch stars as Christopher McCandless, scion of a prosperous but troubled family who, after graduating from Atlanta's Emory University in the early 1990s, decides to chuck it all in and become a self-styled "aesthetic voyager" in search of "ultimate freedom." He certainly doesn't do it by halves: after donating his substantial savings account to charity and literally torching the rest of his cash, McCandless changes his name (to "Alexander Supertramp"), abandons his family (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden as his bickering, clueless parents and Jena Malone as his baffled but loving sister, who relates much of the back-story in voice-over), and hits the road, bound for the Alaskan bush and determined not to be found. For the next two years he lives the life of a vagabond, working a few odd jobs, kayaking through the Grand Canyon into Mexico, landing on L.A.'s Skid Row, and turning his back on everyone who tries to befriend him (including Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker as two kindly, middle-aged hippies and Hal Holbrook in a deeply affecting performance as an old widower who tries to take "Alex" under his wing). Penn, who directed and wrote the screenplay, alternates these interludes with scenes depicting McCandless' Alaskan idyll--which soon turns out be not so idyllic after all. Settling into an abandoned school bus, he manages to sustain himself for a while, shooting small game (and one very large moose), reading, and recording his existential musings on paper. But when the harsh realities of life in the wilderness set in, our boy finds himself well out of his depth, not just ill-prepared for the rigors of day to day survival but realising the importance of the very thing he wanted to escape--namely, human relationships. It'd be easy to either idealise McCandless as a genuinely free spirit, unencumbered by the societal strictures that tie the rest of us down, or else dismiss him as a hopelessly callow naïf, a fool whose disdain for practical realities ultimately doomed him. Into the Wild does neither, for the most part telling the tale with an admirable lack of cheap sentiment and leaving us to decide for ourselves. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• magic and moving, a tragic odyssey
  I've read most of the reviews, and while I can see why some might criticize the film, as being over long, I feel it is like a good book which takes a while to get into. Personally, I loved the story of this young man,who was passionate, angry, possibly misguided, ambitious, principled and, ultimately, sad. Penn avoids a schmaltzy portrayal, and lets the story unfold in an intelligent manner which does not patronise the audience. I found the ending genuinely moving - and how many films nowadays achieve this?... more info

• Very Different - Very Good
  We watched this DVD without really knowing where it would end up. You cannot second guess the story. Where it does end up is a surprise, and made us think we should have given the story more attention and respect. So we watched it again. Its a beautiful Film.
  

• NOT VERY GOOD
  Bar little miss sunshine iam sorry americans do not make good small select indie films ,this is just a very poor story of a rich kid on a road trip of discovery , great but not worth the time watching

• Perfect
  I had read the book before I saw the film and was very impressed Sean Penn managed not to make a sentimental, schmaltzy movie. I think perhaps he made Chris's journey too much about his anger towards his parents but otherwise filled in the details when Chris was alone admirably and believably. I also thought I would be prepared for the end of the film but the note it struck was so perfect, both horrendously sad and beautiful, that it has made me cry every time I've watched it. The soundtrack is brilliant,... more info

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