This review will not include spoilers.
We posted this on Epinions.com the other day and wanted to share with our viewers as well, you can read at either place.
Just got Into the Wild on DVD this past week on Netflix and have to say we enjoyed it. It went pretty hand in hand with the book, but strayed a few times – and as always, the book was better. We are going to try and review our Netflix movies each time we get a new batch, so this is the first of many… hopefully.
Into The Wild first started out as a book, which I have to say is a great story and if you have time before you watch the movie – you should definitely read the book first. Sean Penn worked with the family for years to bring this story to everyone.
Enough about the book, this review is about the MOVIE!
The story of Chris McCandless is a touching story that shows his tramping adventure across the US, and eventually his trek into the wild. This movie is more than just a tale of adventure and wilderness as the title portrays. This movie tells the story of dropping all the things that hold us back everyday. The jobs, the schedules, the family, the commitments… all keeping us away from what life is really about and the beauty that this world has to offer.
Into the wild is not full of the who’s who of Hollywood, it does have a few characters that are familiar (Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden & William Hurt) and the main character, Chris McCandless is played by up and coming star – Emile Hirsch. You will remember Emile Hirsch from The Girl Next Door, if you have seen it.
Chris McCandless was a brilliant person in real life and Emile Hirsch played that part to the ‘T’. Confidence, self-assured wisdom explodes from his character while on screen. I assume Chris McCandless (from what I read in the book) was the same. Chris was always quoting from his favorite authors at any given moment – which they nailed perfectly.
Alex Supertramp (Chris’ alter ego while on the road) had a rough relationship with his parents and this is a big problem eating at him throughout the movie. It definitely creates a sad tone that lingers until the end of the movie. This leaves you feeling down a bit for both him & his family, wondering how they must feel now (the family).
This is one of those movies that leaves you thinking about your “tie-downs” and commitments in life, wondering if it is worth it – when people live without it all just fine… if not happier. Chris meets tons of people doing the exact same thing he is, and it shows that this is a society hardly spoken of and looked down upon – when really it might be the last “real” people on earth. His travels bring him to beautiful places and show you just what you are missing by choosing the beaten path.
The ending can be a topic of debate, if you have read the book. There are just different ideas on how the ending actually went down. If nothing else, this will be a great topic to talk over with your friends over drinks – and see who knows more about Alexander SUPERTRAMP!
All in all, a great movie – not a feel good movie in the sense you are used to, however it does touch your soul. The movie had a few cheesy effects as far as him writing in his journal – which was put over the picture… just seemed like it could be done better. The movie seemed a tad long for my taste, but not enough to get tired of it.
McCandless’s story is tragic, but then so many people have benefited from hearing it… a couple of years of hitchhiking led to his story challenging thousands (millions?) of people to reexamine their lives