“Into the Wild” (Paramount Vantage)
Out Of His Mind
“Into the Wild” is based on the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer, which in turn was based on the true story of Chris McCandless. McCandless was a young man who wanted to leave civilization behind and commune with nature. To do this he severed relationships with his family and friends and took off on a pilgrimage to the wilds of Alaska. The film documents his experiences along the way.
Chris (Emile Hirsch) graduated from Emory University in Atlanta. His parents (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) were thrilled he planned to attend Harvard Law in the fall. His sister Carine (Jena Malone) knew his plans were not as concrete as his parents thought. In fact that summer after graduation Chris took off and headed west. He never communicated his itinerary or his plans to his family.
Chris burned his social security card as well as all his money. He wanted to be completely on his own with no ties to his past. Along the way he worked at menial tasks and lived off the land. Two people he met up with were Rainey (Brian Dierker) and Jan (Catherine Keener). They are a hippie type couple who take him in. Chris seems to see a mother figure of sorts in Jan.
Later he spends some time with an elderly man named Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook). In Ron, Chris appears to find a father figure. Ron is a man with a strong religious faith and some of his beliefs seem to rub off on Chris.
Always at the forefront of Chris’ mind is getting to Alaska. When he eventually does get there he finds an abandoned bus in the wilderness and it is there that he decides to live. The movie actually moves in flashbacks from the bus to his adventures in getting there.
Hirsch is terrific as Chris. He has the requisite idealism in his eyes and the physical endurance in his body. Many times in the film he is on screen alone but he manages to hold the audiences’ attention totally. This is a star-making role and Hirsch plays it to the fullest.
Holbrook is also outstanding as Ron. He gives this man the vitality as well as the emotional core that is necessary for the character. The scenes between him and Hirsch are some of the best in the movie. They are matched only by Hirsch’s scenes with Keener. Keener is an earth mother of sorts and that stands her in good stead in this role.
The film is rated R for profanity, violence and nudity.
Sean Penn directed the film and this is one of his best directing efforts ever. He knows how to pace his story and how to squeeze the maximum emotions from each segment. He never goes overboard on sentimentality but actually underplays the emotions of the characters.
It is hard for some of us to understand what drives McCandless in the film. He is so obsessed with being “free” that he comes off almost deranged in his intensity. Still watching him meet his goals and live his life the way he wants, makes for a fascinating entertainment experience.
I scored “Into the Wild” an untamed 8 out of 10.
