Into the Wild

[Vanilla]

Review/Discuss

[The Creator]

Into the Wild is one of the best movies I have ever seen. In fact, it is my 5th favorite movie of all time. That's how moved I am by it. I watch it ever September because it really fits with an autumnal theme, but I must say I am quite sad that this viewing (just watched it for the 3rd year in a row today) may be my last viewing, at least in early fall/late summer period (when I like to watch it), for an unknown amount of time because I will not likely have the time to cherish it as much as I do right now and have the past 2 years before as well.

But anyways, this is a masterpiece of a movie. Emile Hirsch is incredible, and all the supporting characters are wonderful. I particularly like Jan, who sees Alex "Supertramp" a lot like her own son, who she hasn't spoken to in 2 years. Jan is the mother character of the film, nurturing and supportive of Alex, and her final goodbye to him is really heartfelt and just upsetting, especially when you've seen the film at least once and on a repeat viewing you know that that is the last time she will ever see him. Her best scene is the chilling moment when she grabs Alex and whispers to him with a watery voice, asking if his parents know where he is. But the best supporting character is Hal Holbrook's Ron Franz. The lonely old man gives Alex a ride to his little campsite and then takes Alex in under his wing, teaching him the art of leather-making, and looking to him like he would a son. The singular most depressing moment of the film is also the best scene in the film: Ron drives Alex 100 miles toward Alaska, and when they come to a stop, Ron tearfully asks Alex if he can adopt him, and Alex just postpones it until after he returns from Alaska. A bitter, bitter scene when, like on repeat viewings, you know that Alex will die just 100 days later in the wild. That scene makes my eyes watery.

And the ending. Eddie Vedder's many songs and hymns throughout the movie are hauntingly beautiful and really reflect the character of Alexander Supertramp excellently. In the ending, Alex has eaten the wrong vegetable and dies from a poison, and the last shot is of his blank stare up into the sunny sky over the Magic Bus. We cut to a jet contrail in the sky, and then the title cards play with thanks, and then the credits role. It is here that Eddie Vedder's most spectacular song in the whole movie, "Guaranteed," comes to life, and the song is just so astounding yet hauntingly depressing to those who can really relate to Alex, who by the end of the movie accepts himself as really being the Christopher he was born as. "Guaranteed" just brings the whole impact of the film rushing home. I highly recommend sitting through the credits just to hear it, because it is a wonderful, wonderful song.

I love the imagery, and the many characters and stories that center around Alex (really Chris) are just magnificent and well-developed and interesting. Into the Wild is a masterpiece, and I'll always cherish it.

A+

[baumer]

I have nothing to add that Creator hasn't said. A beautiful film and Sean Penn's best.10/10

[Webslinger]

Excellent movie. I went to see it after school on a Friday afternoon with no idea what to expect and came out floored by how great Emile Hirsch's performance was and what a moving experience it turned out to be.

A

However, for the last three years, I've remembered it just as well for watching it with my freshman roommate and a group of girls that came over to our room because the movie screening on campus was cancelled that night. For reasons I can't remember, we settled on watching this, and we had it paused during the scene where Hirsch goes full frontal so that the girls could ogle at him. Well, half of them were ogling, and the other half were complaining that he looked too gaunt at that point to still be fuckable.

[75Live]

Definitely looks great and is well made. I didn't really feel anything for the main character which will pull down my grade, but still can't deny it is a good film.

B+

[The Creator]

This video is so amazing. Makes me sad every time I watch it.

[TLK]

I am amazed that Emile Hirsch's career didn't take off after this movie.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I am amazed that Emile Hirsch's career didn't take off after this movie.

He such a good actor, I wish he get more roles. He is also great in Milk.

[mattmav45]

When you boil down to it what we have here is a flawed and somewhat messy philosophical character study that ultimately works in the end.

 

Make no mistake, this is a film carried by Emile Hirsch's multi-layered performance.  Most impressive was the fact that the film didn't idolize Christopher McCandless.  I thought the story was told from a rather unbiased point of view, and left it up to the viewer to form an opinion.  In my mind the film showcased an idealistic but ultimately arrogant individual when it came to life and his views of all that life encompasses.

 

The one drawback I found was the fact that at times the film simply feels too familiar and accessible.  I wanted more complexity, more depth if that makes any sense.  I guess you could say I wanted to connect with McCandless on a deeper level.

 

It's a very good film, but for whatever reason it's one that I tend to focus on what it could have been rather than what it was.

Edited March 2, 2014 by mattmav45