Movies: 19831 | TV Series: 3309 | Added today: 0 | Storage: 74692 GB
- Forgot password?
- | Register
- | Support
- | FAQ
- | Help
Download, Watch online Into the Wild Movie.
| Genres: | AdventureDramaBiogra |
| Starring: | Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Marcia Gay Harden, Emile Hirsch, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener |
| Director(s): | Sean Penn |
| Available Quality: | DivX, Hi Def, iPod, Hi Def |
| Country: | USA |
| Year: | 2007 |
| IMDB Rating: | 8.2 |
Based on a true story. After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire 24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life.
 |
Into the Wild (iPod) | Resolution: 480x192 px | Total Size: 413 Mb |
|
|
 |
Into the Wild (Hi Def) | Resolution: 852x352 px | Total Size: 1162 Mb |
|
|
 |
Into the Wild (Hi Def) | Resolution: 1280x534 px | Total Size: 2800 Mb |
|
|
 |
Into the Wild (DivX) | Resolution: 608x246 px | Total Size: 800 Mb |
|
Movie Photos: We have taken some photos of "Into the Wild". They represent actual movie quality.
Visitor Reviews: (20)
16 May 2013
Spoiler Alert--Romanticizing Adolescent Foolishness
This movie is an adolescent boy's nocturnal emission, and while I found it entertaining, it was far from the profound experience it means to be.Likeable and intelligent, Christopher McCandless was also self-centered, selfish, and extraordinarily--nay, fatally--foolish. This movie romanticizes that foolishness to make McCandless's death have "meaning." The fact is, though, he died an idiot's death, and he died desperate. In the movie, his parting written words are, "I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!" Those words are accurate--he did write them--but the words that the hunters who found him read posted on the door of the bus were no less believable: "S.O.S. I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here. I am all alone, this is no joke. In the name of God, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless." Not the heroic smiling existential death the movie portrayed and that teenage boys imagine for themselves, is it?This kid was a lousy son, and a lousy brother, and the movie shows this but distorts his real-life relationship with his parents in order to make his abysmal selfishness less damning. He took off without leaving word to his family, and never let them know where he was or how he was doing. He disappeared, and 2 years later Mom and Dad found he was dead. And now this hagiography paints them in a very unflattering light and will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Chris chose to go into the bush with minimal gear and no map. Had he taken a map, he'd have realized that only 1/4 mile from where he tried to cross the river he would have found a manual tram in which he could have easily crossed; he wasn't stranded, and he needn't have starved. He starved a a couple days' hike from the highway, in the middle of summer. This movie suggests (probably based on early versions of Jon Krakauer's book) that he accidentally poisoned himself by eating a toxic plant that is very hard to distinguish from a certain edible one. That was speculation, and was proved false by the toxicology report. McCandless died from simple starvation. In the middle of summer. 20 miles from a highway. At one point 1/4 of a mile from a river crossing. That isn't romantic; it isn't heroic. It's stupid. Let's call it what it is, so other young men aren't seduced by the same juvenile hubris. If this movie didn't purport to be a true story, and didn't romanticize what is really an unhappy story, I wouldn't have a problem with it. It's well acted and maintains tension from beginning to end. There were some Hallmark Card moments, but I enjoyed it and would watch it again. But the movie is a sorry representation of the truth, and if this movie is about anything, it's about truth.
vivivilches 16 May 2013
The Reflection around one man
At first sight the movie seemed to be a long duration one, but the factis that every chapter compounds a subject full of life thoughts,reflection and visual contemplative moments that gives pauses into thefilm.It takes very hard to me to watch a long movie, but this one was ableto catch my attention. It made me open all my senses into it by anexcellent work in the visual part, colors, music; the lines that weretold, reflections about life that are very simple and enjoyable, butone is often blind to assume them.Aproaching to the end of the movie one can build figure a typical endof a journey (end of the film), and the movie could be finished likeany "journey about" film, but the fact is that the way the resourceswere used (art and the way the events developed) grants a perfect endof the story, marking the difference with this piece above others.Nothing more to say, great movie.I loved the narrative connection between the sister and theprotagonist.
06 May 2013
Into the wild and into our hearts.
I did not know this was based on a true story. How insane that someone would attempt this journey without the appropriate gear and necessary requirements to live out in the wild in total solitary. I guess it's a form of suicide and how sad it turned out for this young man. I was looking for a survival only type of story in the wild, and not the story that was presented here.Still it is recommended. The music is great and plays a character in the story. See it with a friend or family and not alone. Humans are not meant to live alone in this world.
James Noble 05 May 2013
A Most Noble Effort
While not nearly as good as the book, I commend Sean Penn's efforts asit must have been very difficult to adapt this tale of ChrisMcCandless's fatal Alaskan odyssey. Also worth mentioning is EddieVedder's superb acoustically-driven score, his first ever.As one might expect from a Penn movie, he casts many notable names,including William Hurt as the stereotypical cold father, CatherineKeener as a nomadic hippie, Vince Vaughn, and a surprisingly energeticHal Holbrook. Emile Hirsch plays Chris decently enough, showingnoticeable dedication (he must have really lost weight towards the end)but still does not stand out as much as the more veteran-likesupporting cast.Penn includes some nice subtle touches, such as actual black and whitefootage of apartheid and other social and political crises of Africa asChris's sister names out his final courses and grades from EmoryUniversity. At times he goes overboard though, indulging in clichéslike an overhead shot of Chris swimming naked on his back with his armsstretched out like Jesus on the cross. I found the most powerful sceneto be but a close-up photograph of the real Chris McCandless as he satscruffy-bearded and grinning outside of the vacant bus he made hishome, an enlarged and color version of the same photograph from insidethe book.As I was finishing the book I thought this would make for a fascinatingWerner Herzog documentary in the tradition of "Grizzly Man." McCandlessfalls into that same kind of iconoclastic realm as any one of Herzog'sprotagonists. Penn gives us the romanticized Hollywood version.
kosmasp 04 May 2013
Wild Deer
We have a strange little movie here. The main character seems very meanat the beginning and does things most of the viewers/the "civilised"world wouldn't dare to do. So is there even a chance for redemption tothis character? While he doesn't really change in the course of the film (not in hisoverall believe), I think we find ourselves attracted to the idea of"being free", taking choices and not having to ask anyone if you can orcan't do this and that. But what it also ultimately shows us, is thathumans do need company. Even those who barricade themselves in theirrooms and think they're better off alone ... aren't. There's alwayssomeone near you (not really tough, when you consider the worldpopulation), so that might drive (some of) us, into wanting to bealone, but ultimately that wish will never happen and maybe deep insidethose people know it and that gives them comfort, while they think theyare alone. That is what this is about (as I understood it) :o)PS: Hirsch (the main actors real last name) means deer in German, justin case you wondered!
04 May 2013
Good flick, although not true to life
I was familiar with Krakauer from his previous book, Into Thin Air, about the ill-fated climb on Mt. Everest, so I was interested to see how a film based on this book would turn out. I haven't read the book, but I did enjoy the movie, and found it memorable in many ways, although some liberties were taken for artistic reasons.All the main players turned in superb performances, and Hal Holbrook (who I almost didn't recognize as I hadn't seen him on-screen in probably 25 years), was a joy to watch; he turns in possibly his greatest performance in a long, distinguished career as the aging preacher. He must be about 80 and looks pretty darn good for his age. He turns in a thoughtful but forceful performance as a man, who, although nearing the and of this life, has found the peace that Chris unsuccessfully seeks.Emile Hirsch is outstanding in the lead role as Chris, in which he's portrayed almost as a mythic adventurer of old setting out to test himself against the elements. He's charismatic and collects many friends and admirers along the way. Cris is convinced that he must purge the "evil within," why this is, isn't really explained, except that Chris had fallen under the influence of authors such as Thoreau, and others who had exhorted the importance of living apart from society in order to live the solitary life and reflect.The cinematography is also one of the film's great strengths. You'll enjoy the many stunning vistas of Alaska, which is still largely an unspoiled and unexploited land. Let's hope it stays that way.Overall the film is a dramatic and beautiful portrayal of a young man's quest for meaning, allthough it ultimately ended in tragedy, Despite some departures from the facts (Chris was not the charismatic character that was portrayed in the movie so much as a loner), it's still a fine film and one worth seeing for the other aesthetic qualities it brings to the screen. While we're on the subject, I wanted to make a few comments on another topic. I've read several Alaskan's comments who were very critical of Chris and what he tried to do, saying how foolish it was and how it showed little respect for the wilderness and the sort of skills and learning it takes to survive under those conditions, which can only be gleaned from many years of experience, and preferably under the tutelage of an experienced backwoodsman.That is no doubt true, and it's certainly true that Chris made some serious mistakes that an experienced backwoodsman wouldn't have made. For example, he failed to bring a map of the region that would have showed an area about 25 miles upstream where it spread out into some wide shallows, where the river could have safely been forded. There was also a hand tram only about a mile away from his camp that would have enabled him to escape. And he brought inadequate food and wasn't experienced enough in plant identification to live off the land, which led not only to starvation but poisioning when he misidentified a toxic plant that looked like a safe plant and that often grew right next to it.However, I would point out that those same people still buy their outdoor gear at REI, or some such, and have many modern conveniences that frontiersman or tribesman of old didn't have, which dramatically reduce the amount of labor and skill required and enhance their chances of survival. Not to mention the skillset of a late period Paleolithic hunter, who had to make his own spear tips and spears, bow and arrows, his own clothes, and virtually everything else in his toolkit himself. Even a modern woodsman's skills would pale by comparison to that.Recently I read a great biography of Daniel Boone and of his exploits in the new territories to the west. Of course, even he wasn't a Paleolithic hunter, but he was certainly one hell of a woodsman for his day. Equally impressive was the description of his wife. While Boone was off for several weeks wandering in a new area of the wilderness, leaving his young wife at home, she first proceeded to cut down the trees on their new plot of land. Then she built a small log cabin from the felled trees. Finally, she had their first field plowed and the crop sowed on the now cleared land by the time Boone got home. :-)Today, few people, even the vaunted backwoodsmen who criticized Chris, are the equivalent of a Daniel Boone, let alone a true Paleolithic hunter. While this doesn't excuse what Chris did, the perhaps sad truth is that hardly anyone living today has the skills of our ancestors that were honed over hundreds of thousands of years before they vanished in the wake of modern "civilization."
01 May 2013
Sad journey into the wild
This review is from: Into the Wild (DVD) I have a brother with a wild spirit who once took off on a hitchhiking trip from Ca. to Montana. He was 17 at the time. He's 52 now and hasn't changed much, but takes his wife in tow and instead of his thumb, has chosen rental cars and airplanes.The young man in "into the Wild" was looking for something in himself, but he forgot to watch along the way. He missed seeing all the love, the admiration, the need that others have and instead, chose to seek only for his own gratification. It's life's journey that makes this life worth living. It's others that we allow into our lives that complete us. And it was difficult to feel anything for the movie's subject, since he hurt a lot of people along his path to self discovery. Had he lived to be an old man, he would have learned that we are "herd" animals, and is we stray too far from the herd, we are alone....eternally.This was a profound story and I recommend either reading the book or buying the video, but expect to feel empty when the story ends.
30 April 2013
a young man with a death wish
Even though I thought this movie was great I still ended up angry at our main character for doing what he did to himself and his family. It was irresponsible and selfish. Perhaps he never intended to come out of this alive, expecting to either die from the elements or starvation.If he did go with the intention of it just being an adventure and to return to his home soon, then it only means he was a fool, not a hero:someone with no knowledge or sense of preparedness for life in the wild- reckless behavior, plain and simple.
25 April 2013
DOOMED BY HIS OWN HUBRIS AND LACK OF COMPASSION
This review is from: Into the Wild (DVD) for his own family. McCandless was able to form quick friendships which were more deep and sincere on the parts of the other people, his were rather more superficial at that point in time. He was filled with the angst and implacable censoriousness of youth and none of the appreciation for the fallibility of people, e.g., his own parents. Ostensibly it was the revelation that his father had continued relations with his first wife while married to his second and this sin, in McCandless's eyes, colored his entire life including his education, a career and any and all "things" that were in any way reminiscent of his parents. He nursed a cold rage against his father especially and used this revelation to justify his extreme callousness and carelessness toward his entire family including the sister he was so fond of and the abandoment of his car, a vehicle he supposedly treasured. He planned to inflict the ultimate hurt against his family by plotting his own disappearance and was so focused on this goal he lost sight of right and wrong and only considered his own wants which doomed him to die of starvation alone in the wilderness. His arrogant, brash nickname "Alexander Supertramp" was another symptom of his hubris which ultimately seared his family with sorrow and drove him to a cold and lonely death in the old bus with no one around to comfort him in his last moments. He had fun playing the adventurer, for a while, then when he faced the reality of the situation he placed himself in, the fun and adventure vanished and he was left only with his very bad decisions. He went into a cold, forbidding environment virtually unprepared and without any supplies to speak of; tiny changes to his venture would have ensured his survival but it was not to be. Something as simple as slicing thin strips of the moose he killed and air drying them as opposed to smoking the meat and ending up with a maggot filled mess. Carrying beef jerky and dried fruit with him would have helped, pretty much any common care would have resulted in life instead of death and I do not believe for one second he intended or wanted to die. But he chose to ignore wise advice from people who had successfully gone into the wilderness and tried to give him the benefit of their own experiences...he even refused one man who offered to take him to buy adequate supplies. McCandless refused. It is a waste, it is not romantic at all, it is a tragedy and all the young men and women who find this event adventurous and exciting and worship McCandless and deify him are all sadly mistaken. The film was excellent and the music and actors all superb, but ultimately it describes a vengeful, angry, selfish, self centered young man who harbored a horrible grudge against his family and never even discussed this with them, but chose to plot to wreak revenge on them instead, which he did succeed at, his only success in this doomed adventure.
24 April 2013
A raw, tragic, touching story of the human spirit
This review is from: Into the Wild (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) (DVD) Having become familiar with the story of Chris McCandless before the movie came out purely as a traveller, I was suprised to hear of the movie being done, and by sean penn no less.Having watched the movie, I feel that this is one of penn's greatest movies yet. The direction, powerful as it is raw and simple weaves a tale about the tales of Alexander Supertramp that make you feel as if you cant help but like the good nature of the character, despite the fact that all his travel to fill some void in his life, to give a sense of escapism to his life of material goods and comfortable exsistence for a life of survival.I believe everyone can take something away with themselves from this movie. Whether we reevaluate our place in life, our impact on this planet and how we have become disconnected from nature or the simple joy of being on the free road, this movie will affect most people that will walk away from it with something.I bought Music for the Motion Picture Into the Wildmonths before I got to watch the movie, and the music is more fitting and special for the movie once you watch it, a deeply personal journey for Eddie Vedder too, or so it seems.
carlos-bennett 22 April 2013
Hated it
I really hated it. The movie had a really moralizing tone, and it wasincredibly self-conscious. All the time it felt like the guy was posingfor the camera; none of his moments of "spontaneity" were credible. Hekept mixing all the time fragments of great writers like Thoreau orTolstoy with pseudo-inspirational crap that seemed took from a sel-helpbook. In particular, I felt the narration from his sister reallyannoying. For such a long movie, and with almost only ONE character, it isamazing that the character has turned out to be so flat anduni-dimensional. Please, please read this review:http://www.misanthropytoday.com/into-the-wild-sucks-big- time/It expresses all the things I want to say in a much clever way. Oh goodSean Penn how I hate you.
hollie_berrie 22 April 2013
The most boring, pretentious film I've ever seen.
I specifically signed up to review this film on IMDb because it reallywas THAT awful. Since I cannot re-gain those precious two hours of mylife back, hopefully I can save the time of other souls who arethinking about watching this movie...In short, it is pretentious, hypocritical and painfully boring. Themain character is so righteous and hypocritical, I found myself hatinghim more and more, wishing his demise would occur sooner rather thanlater. Why, then, does this movie have such a high rating on IMDb? Clearly toomany feel that if Sean Penn directed it, well, they MUST like it. Or,simply because it is so slow and boring (and it tries too hard to bedeep and meaningful), it must be a good movie.If you want something deep, meaningful, and life-affirming, yet fun andmodern, go watch '127 Hours'.
17 April 2013
An Eternal True Story
Right now this movie has 88 reviews with a 4-star average, folks that is a disgrace. This movie is the best I've seen in years and deserves nothing less than 7 or 8 stars. This dude reminds me of Travis Bickle (Deniro) in Taxi Driver, fed up with the "existential angst of being" in a hypocritical and savagely-selfish world, except this guy doesn't go around shooting people, he retreats Into The Wild instead. I can greatly sympathize both with this man and with Bickle's character. Eddie Vedder, by the way, comes through with the music for this movie, in such a magical way, that I'm sure it'll catch even Pearl Jam fans off-guard. This is better Vedder than I had ever heard before, even as a fan of the classics from a couple decades back. I as well had all but given up hope in American cinema, as it's usually just blank-negativity or blatant propaganda both of which are grossly predictable at this point and oh so typical of the present admin and of our times. It seems like every year or so I see a genuinely great movie though, this is one of them. Into the Wild joins ranks with Cast Away, Million Dollar Baby, Grizzly Man, and the Motorcycle Diaries. I can vouge for the reality which permeates this film, as I was homeless for the better part of 4 years, and have also been a regular faster from food for years now (off & on, of course). This movie shows both worlds very clearly, to put it simply, any lover of nature and Thoreau will be very grateful that they own a copy of this DVD. And for you my friends this is non-optional, trust me on this one, you must go out and see it at once. I highly doubt I will ever in my lifetime forget this man's words: Happiness Only Real When Shared. I just wish we all could live that more, then maybe we wouldn't have people retreating into the woods so much, much more than people "who walk a straight line from cradle to the grave" might assume. Peace.
Daniel Rosado 17 April 2013
SuperTramp is a Hero
Into the WildBy Daniel RosadoDirected: Sean Penn Cast: Emile Hirsch,Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, BrianH. Dierker,Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, HalHolbrook Into the Wild is a film about a young man, that just graduated fromcollege. Itseemed everything was going great for him, graduated withgood grades,had a nice home, and was going to become a big success. Butthat lifestyle wasn't for Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch). He wanted toescape. He wanted to escape from his family, all of the world'sproblems and most of all society.It was summer time, and Chris went out for a drive. He parked the carat a beach and fell asleep. During high tide the ocean totaled his car,but Chris safely escaped. He saw this as an opportunity to just leave.He chose to go traveling alone into the world, and leaving his familybehind.His sister, Carine (Jena Malone), understood why he would leave.Throughout their childhood they've seen their parents always yellingand arguing. Chris usually had different opinions than those of hisfather, Walt (William Hurt), which always led to an argument, while hismother, Billie (Marcia Gay Harden), would pretend she had a perfectfamily. His whole family was worried about Chris's whereabouts, butonly Carine understood what he was going through, and why he did it.Chris's main goal is to travel to Alaska; so that he can live life theway it was meant to be, out in the wild, not thinking about bills ortaxes. On his epic journey, under the name Alexander Supertramp, Chrisencounters many different people. First he meets two hippies, Rainey(Brian H. Dierker) and Jan (Catherine Keener), that he really bondswith. He also meets, and works for Wayne Westerberg (Vince Vaughn).Shortly after Wayne is sent to jail, and Chris decides to back totraveling. He meets some foreigners while rafting, but has to leaveafter a couple minutes, because of the rafting police chasing him. Hethen once again meets up with Rainey and Jan, he also meets a younggirl that was usually with them, named Tracy Tatro (Kristen Stewart).Chris once again leaves them, and meets the last person he gets toreally know before Alaska, and old man named Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook).Chris becomes Franz's unofficial adopted grandson. But after a whileChris finally heads for Alaska.When in Alaska Chris finds an abandoned bus. He lives in the bus, andat first has a blast living off the land. He goes around climbingthings and running around, and has the time of his life. Later on,Chris runs out of animals to eat, and has to turn to eating plants.After making a fatal accident, and eating the wrong plant, Chrisstarves to death.Into the Wild is based on a true story. There really was a man braveenough to go out into the wild, and lived life the way he believed wasbest. The movie was written based on what the true adventurer wrote inhis book.This movie tells the great story of a brave man. A man who sacrificedhis life, to live life to what he considered, the fullest. The worldwould be a much better place if people were as determined as him, andhad his mindset.3 out of 4 stars
zaferrana 02 April 2013
The Lumiere Bros are turning in graves ... from boredom
I should have seen it coming for I had been invited to see this movieby a friend whose taste in "cinematography" is ... let's say peculiar.So, he tells me that there is a movie which touched him so deeply thatnot only has he seen it downloaded from the web but he is also planningto go to the movies. Wow, me thinks. That must be something good(knowing how cheap he is). So that alone was a pretty goodrecommendation, apart form the thousand of stories heard from my friendhow now he wants to quit his job and go "into the wild".Nothing more misleading. "Into the wild" is simply not a good movie.Why?*** It is boring and inconsistent ***Too long. Too slow (leave it to Europe). Too naive (seriously? a truestory?) Too bleak ... The plot has potential, can't deny that. But notboredom makes a movie masterpiece. *** The protagonist makes me do a self-lobotomy ***Seriously? Leave everything to became a bum? If you want to contest thesystem there are plenty of options far better than harvesting orchoosing the ugliest place on earth to settle. Not convincing (yes, yesI know that this is a true story - but no need to film it)*** The nature presented in the flick is ugly ***I blame you Sean Penn for showing your country in the worst lightpossible. I have seen lots of movies, pictures, images, photosdepicting this part of America and it seems very harsh but beautiful.But no, my main character will choose the ugliest place possible andthen he will eat something poisonous and die. Reaaaally deep. Andtouching. And blah, blah, blah.
02 April 2013
Glorifies the mentally ill
Why did this kid kill himself? He was mentally ill. But the film amps up the imagery and the idealogy into something about rebellion from the kid's parental upbringing. The book does a better job on this story, and the film grows a bit tedious long before the ending.
aagodhand 31 March 2013
Well done movie about a complete waste of life.
WARNING: SPOILERS! Although I enjoyed some of the scenery, this moviewas mostly a wast of time. It's a story of a self-important graduatefrom Emory University that goes on a journey of self-discovery. Thatwould be okay, except his entire perspective on life is proved wrong atthe end of the movie. He starts of by giving away all "his" collegemoney, which would be impressive if it were actually his money (that heworked for) and not money his parents gave him. He then goes out Westand hangs out with people and spouts off about society and how he'sgoing to Alaska where he's going to live on his own, away from society.During this time his family is worried to death about him, and hedoesn't bother to contact his sister (who he was apparently was closeto), yet manages to write a letter to someone he just met after thatsomeone goes to jail for selling pirated cable. He meets some burnouthippies and more self-important nonsense...until he gets to Alaska.MAJOR SPOILER: Once he's in Alaska the story could have been somewhatinteresting except that not to long into his isolation experiment...HEDIES! Wow...I guess he really proved he doesn't need society, huh? Every point the movie tried to make, about how free he is, about howsociety holds people down, about how money isn't necessary, iscompletely contradicted by the ending. He felt the need to give awayall his parents money because "money is evil", yet worked on a farmwhen he ran out of money (he had kept $500 of his parents "evil" money)and couldn't wait to get his paycheck. He went off to live on his ownbecause he doesn't need "society" bringing him down, yet shortly afterleaving society he starved to death (after eating a poisonous plant).It seems he did nothing except get himself killed.The story tries to make a thin excuse for Chris (the main character)and his behavior by showing how the parents fought all the time, but itreally comes across as grasping as straws to explain narcissisticbehavior.I grew up in Atlanta, my father was a professor at Emory, and I wentthere. I've met dozens of self-important brats over the years (and beenone of them at one time), people that reject society and itsways...until they need it. Had this guy just gone backpacking in Europelike most graduates he would have eventually returned, and inevitablybecome the yuppie he rebelled against like most college "hippies" do.But because he died, somehow he's a martyr. I guess in that sense hebroke the cycle, but other than that he accomplished nothing. Oh, andjust to add the final blow, I have to add how ironic it is when hippiesdrive around the country "to be free", all the while burning up gas andpolluting the environment more than most people will in their lifetime.Sean Penn does a great job directing, the actors are excellent, and thescenery is breathtaking. However, none of this is able to hide the factthat this is a movie about someone who wasted his life trying to provesomething, and in the end proved the exact opposite. Yes, I know he wasan actual person who really died, but I don't really care. I personallyknow lots of people who died (some of which also went to Emory) in muchmore tragic and meaningful ways.
HateBall 30 March 2013
Very Satisfying
Having finished watching this film a have a quite different opinionthan at many points during it. I felt that the idea of a rich kidrebelling against his picket fence upbringing and the values andrealities therein was predictable. I've seen the Graduate and it wouldbe more shocking to see a story sympathetic to the parents who aredoing the best they can. I scoffed at some of the teen angst rhetoricas naive and juvenile until I found out it was a true story. It meantthis kid lived by his ideals and I was ultimately very affected by thisstory. The cinematography is second to none with good performances andit's very epic. I think the dialogue is slightly naff at times but Iwas definitely won over despite my initial reservations.
Frederick M 18 March 2013
Wonderfully told
One of the better movies of 2007. If you're a fan of the book "Into theWild" then you'll be impressed with this production which doesn't takeany liberties with the story.The acting is good and consistent here. The only downside I can see isthe occasional poor direction by Sean Penn. Sometimes his "poetic"style is a bit much and a bit forced. We can make some connections onour own without the help of the director.That being said the scenery is beautiful. The acting is great,especially by Emile Hersch but at times I felt like certain aspects ofthe story could be cut out to focus more on certain points of Chris'life.
Douglas Young 18 March 2013
An emotionally wrenching story of the unforgiving lesson of nature
(My Synopsis) Based on the true story of 22 year-old ChristopherMcCandless (Emile Hirsch) a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp, gives his entiresavings to charity after he graduates with honors from Emory, andbegins his journey and great adventure into the wild. Chris believesthat he can life off the land and that he doesn't need any money to dothat. He had a goal of testing himself to the fullest by heading intothe wilds of Alaska and surviving alone. It took Chris about two yearsto finally make it to Alaska, and along the way he meets a series ofcolorful people that he had never before encountered through hisprivileged life. His quest to learn more about the American culturetook him from the wheat harvest in South Dakota to a kayak trip downthe Colorado River into Mexico, and Slab City, California, before hefinally makes it to Alaska. Once in Alaska, Chris must battle for hislife against the harsh reality of nature in an abandoned bus.(My Comment) This isn't a happy movie, but it is an emotionallywrenching and thought provoking story that will make you think. It isabout our society, family, idealism, and nature; most of all it isabout the romanticism of youth and the tragic consequences of anunforgiving and dangerous wilderness. Chris left everything behind tofind something pure in the world, or the meaning of life, or justhimself by pushing the limits into the wilderness. During his twowandering years, Chris learns from every person he meets and addssomething to his overall experience and the tools he will need tosurvive. The only problem with that is Chris went into the wildernesswithout ample preparation. Too little knowledge and experience will getyou killed, especially, in Alaska. Considering Chris' intelligence andresources he had with him, it seems that he was very foolish, naive,and youthfully stupid.While Chris was in the "magic bus" the movie takes us back and forth intime and explains his dysfunctional family life and his earlier travelsduring his last two-years. I would have preferred the movie be shown inchronological order and not with so many flashbacks. Emile Hirsch givesan absorbing, completely believable performance as Chris. Hirschdeserves a lot of credit, because he sacrificed and gave of himself tothe role. Hirsch lost a lot of weight during the movie to show thatChris was starving to death, and Hirsch will probably receive an Oscarfor his performance. It is a long movie, so get ready for it before itstarts, because you can't leave your seat until the very end. The storyhas a tragic ending, but it was beautiful and profound at the sametime. At the end of the movie, they show a picture of Chris that wastaken by him in front of the bus, and we see that Hirsch resembles him,which is uncanny. (Paramount Vantage, Run time 2:20, Rated R)(10/10)