rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2007
Directed by Sean Penn; produced by Art Linson, Sean Penn, William Pohlad; screenplay by Sean Penn
Starring Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook
'Into the Wild' clocks in at 150 minutes, but every minute is worth watching. Based on the book by Jon Krakauer it tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, told through the people he met on his journey. It is a fascinating story, filled with interesting characters, strongly played by the entire cast. Beautiful images filmed on location and an impressive direction by actor Sean Penn make this film one of the 2007 must-sees.
Christopher (Emile Hirsch) decides to hit the road after his graduation. His parents (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) are to blame; he is leaving his sister Carine (Jena Malone), who provides the voice over, behind. His final destination has to be Alaska, but he takes the biggest detour possible, at one point being in Mexico. His encounters with hippies Jan (Catherine Keener) and Rainey (Brian Dierker), farmer Wayne (Vince Vaughn) and old man Ron (Hal Holbrook), who eventually suggests to adopt Christopher, all play like small entertaining short films on their own.
The film starts with Christopher already in Alaska, finding an empty "magic" bus, where he decides to camp. We move back and forth between his journey and his destination. In Alaska he keeps a journal and uses books on surviving techniques to make it in the wilderness. Both stories are equally interesting. Hirsch carries the film in a grand way, emerging himself as an actor to watch. We understand his motives on a larger scale, but sometimes we are left wondering what he is really thinking.
This happens most notably in the Holbrook-scenes. What does Christopher feel about the suggestion done by Ron? We might not understand it, Holbrook does, and this part of his performance is the most memorable of the film. It seems Christopher leaves before he starts loving, so there will be no more hurt in his life. An earlier encounter with a young girl Tracy (Kristen Stewart) suggests the same thing, although it also raises questions about his sexuality. Or maybe just about his sincerity.
Christopher's story is worth telling and 'Into the Wild' shows this. It is a remarkable film. The 150 minutes are over before you know it, and by then you care not just for the lead character, but for all sympathetic characters we have met on the way.