INTO THE WILD

INTO THE WILD is in many senses a classic piece of cinematic escapism. A sumptuous series of images from across the wide array of wildernesses that cover the North American continent accompany recent graduate Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) as he abandons his bright future and his possessions, and donates his savings of $24,000 to charity before heading to Alaska to live in the wilderness. But the film, adapted into a screenplay as well as being directed and produced by Sean Penn, is far more than just another travel tale.

Based on a true a story and adapted from the novel by Jon Krakauer, the narrative follows the protagonist, in his newly adopted identity of Alexander Supertramp - beginning with his arrival in Alaska and subsequently flitting between his journey, the family he left behind and his new life in the icy wilderness which evolves into a subtly constructed discussion of the hopes and dangers offered by idealism, the intrinsic beauty and challenges of nature, and the importance of human interaction in the pursuit of happiness. Setting out as an idealistic adventure seeker, and serious detractor of the existing social order, ‘Alex’ goes in search of truth, a value he holds in the highest esteem. On his journey he meets a series of people who shape his life, and the interaction he has with them has a lasting result on both sides. Despite his persistence in his own views about the negative impacts of civilisation, and the disappointments of human relationships which stem from his childhood traumas, the film largely avoids archetypical diatribes against modern urban life through the views of those Alex encounters and the narrative segments focussing on the impact of his disappearance on his family - in particular his sister with whom Christopher McCandless was once so close. And though the use of family issues as an explanation for his alienation from society may rightly be seen as somewhat weak, particularly in light of the depth of character he shows at various junctures, this does not detract too greatly from the overall feel of the film. It leaves the viewer with room for interpretation and opinion rather than a sense of there being something missing or oversimplified for popular cinematic consumption.

Perhaps the greatest strength of the film is that it that it neither forces a single ideology onto its viewers nor spoon feeds them a semi-digested philosophical debate. Each scene we accompany Alex through has something new to offer, ranging from its own fantastic landscape (courtesy of Penn’s expansive cinematograhy) to the multifaceted nuances each new set of acquaintances adds to his understanding of the world which contribute something towards the grander picture of the world that is obtained in Karakauer’s novel through literary quotations and diary entries, with the added benefit that on screen each stage of the journey is just recounted in a delightfully simple and visually attractive way, allowing the viewer to simply soak up the ambience. Among the great images of the film are Alex rafting down the Colorado ravier prsued by the river police, before meeting a couple of Danes on the river bank who invite him for hot dogs, and his shooting of a moose and the subsequent struggle to productively dismantle its carcass alone in the frozen wilderness of his Alaskan environs.

It is impossible not to be sucked in by the spirited drive and eternal self-confident optimism of the voyager, which is as much to the credit of Hirsch as to the great scripting and cinematography of Sean Penn, and the culmination of the physical and philosophical voyage is one of the most moving pieces of cinema I have seen this year. But that’s not all, the supporting cast were excellent, with roles as diverse as nudist hippies and detached old men portrayed ably and believably. Even Vince Vaughn pulls off a rare serious performance as a farmer who Alex works for a spell.

All in all INTO THE WILD proves a great piece of entertainment, visually stunning it leaves the viewer wih a series of captivating images emblazoned in the mind’s eye, but it also left me feeling ponderous, and i’m sure that thoughts arising from the steady and unimposing flow of ideas pouring from the screen will be popping into my head for a while to come. If you’re feeling in the mood to sit back and absorb an undemanding, but nonetheless rewarding, well-made piece of cinema I highly recommend this film.

Thanks for visiting us at Obsessed With Film, we update several times a day, so if you haven't done so yet you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. You can also sign up to receive updates via e-mail.