How far will you go to find yourself? A 22-year-old athlete and Emory University graduate sacrificed all of his worldly possessions and gave his $24,000 savings to charity in pursuit of the adventure of a lifetime.
The journey of Christopher McCandless, brilliantly played by Emile Hirsch, is artfully portrayed through incredible cinematography. Director Sean Penn was compelled to make this film after reading Jon Krakauer’s book, Into the Wild.
The film’s scenery is absolutely amazing, from shots of Mexico to the Colorado River winding through the Grand Canyon, to the wheat fields of South Dakota up to the majestic snow-capped mountains of Alaska.
"(These were) places I would have never gotten to visit," said Hirsch.
Throughout this journey, McCandless meets fascinating people in the film. He grows attached to a couple – named Rainey and Jan, played by Brian Dierker and Catherine Keener, who live in their van and travel. McCandless first stays on the beach with them for a while and reunites with them later in the film before moving on to Alaska.
In South Dakota, he meets a grain farmer named Wayne Westerberg, played Vince Vaughn. McCandless stays with Westerberg for a while and learns how to harvest grain. The experience also teaches McCandless how to prepare a slaughtered animal to be eaten.
When Westerberg and McCandless get drunk at the local restaurant together, McCandless says over and over that he’s "going into the wild."
Jenna Malone plays Chris’ sister, Carine McCandless, and her soft voice complements the atmosphere of the film, making her a wonderful narrator on the journey into the wild. Powerful narration combined with Eddie Vedder’s music gives the film an adventurous feel.
Opinions vary as to whether McCandless’ journey was a meaningless waste of life or one of growth. Was he running away from the pressure he faced after graduating from a great school? Did his dysfunctional family, shown through clips of his parents fighting, drive him away?
Into the Wild remains neutral and merely tells McCandless’ story. The film doesn’t seem to lean toward a certain opinion. Considering how brilliant Penn is, there is no doubt that it would challenge both body and mind just to watch his film on a screen. Unlike many "dark" films Penn has starred in, this one makes light of potential friendships and good times while retaining an overshadowing darkness throughout.
After watching McCandless traverse our beautiful country, if it doesn’t make you want to embark on a cross-country adventure, it will certainly prompt you to ponder life.
