Classic Revisited - Into the Wild (2007)

Chris McCandless is a very bright college graduate with a great love for books and their quotes. Just when his parents are expecting him to follow their path in leading a life of materialistic pleasures, Chris leaves everything behind. He donates his savings to charity and sets out on a road trip to Alaska for what he calls ‘a great adventure’ and a spiritual revolution.

Chris is an extremist and an aesthetic voyager who is driven by more than just anger and his sense of rebellion against the mundane and abstract society. Mr and Mrs McCandless’ constant quarrels and troubles with each other really impact their 2 children in a dramatic way. Chris’ sister Carine is the only person who understands her brother. As the days pass, the entire McCandless family is concerned and all their searches for Chris prove in vain and they resign to their huge imminent loss.

During his great Alaskan adventure, Chris meets many nice people who help him with shelter, food, good life advice, some small jobs and Chris also makes some great relationships particularly with Rainey, Jan (the 2 mature lovers who are also on the move), Tracy (a beautiful 16 yr old singer), Wayne (the man who helps Chris with some money for his work at the wheat processing plant) and Ron Franz (the lonely old widower).

The entire movie moves in a non linear manner and Chris’ journey is divided into different chapters like ‘My Own Birth’, ‘Adolescence’, ‘Man Hood’ and ‘Getting of Wisdom’. When Chris finally reaches Alaska, he literally leads a wild man’s life. He stays in what he calls the ‘Magic Bus’. But as the days pass, Chris isn’t able to beat the forces and he finally succumbs after realizing that Happiness is real only when shared. A sad true life story.                                                                          

Hits

• Emile Hirsch has literally lived the role of Chris. The body changes are astounding. Great emoting too.
• A very moving BGM score. Nice songs too. They are perfectly in sync with the movie’s theme
• All the characters that Chris meets in his journey make a great impact. Great casting. Great acting by them all.
• The narration given by Chris’s sister is very poignant and touching. Such meaningful dialogs that strike an emotional chord
• The way the wild life has been captured is breath-taking. Nature in all its glory. Rivers, mountains, wild animals, wild plants, fields etc etc. Dreamy visuals. 

VERDICT

The movie on the whole makes a deep impact. Every young graduate does go through the same emotions that Chris goes through. But the guts that Chris had aren’t something that one finds in everyone. Salutations to Sean Penn and team for bringing this great young man’s life onscreen.