Into the Wild (2007) * * * 1/2

 

Directed by:  Sean Penn

Starring:  Emile Hirsch, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Jena Malone, Hal Holbrook, Kristen Stewart, Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Vince Vaughn

Christopher McCandless was someone who lit out for the territories after graduating college in 1990.  He wanted to see the country and live freely without being tied down to a career, so he said.  He burned his ID, birth certificate, and wandered as a hitchhiking nomad.  He saw this as a romantic journey, and left behind his family without any hint of his whereabouts.  In 1992, he made the pilgrimage to Alaska, which looked as beautiful as he envisioned.  He set up shop in an abandoned bus in the middle of nowhere, where he lived off the land.  However, he would eventually succumb to starvation after ingesting the wrong plants and berries.  

This is not a spoiler.  Into the Wild begins with Christopher (who adopted the name Alexander Supertramp in his travels) finding the "Magic Bus" and making it his home.  There are no people anywhere in sight, and this is how he wanted it.  One of the strengths of the movie is how writer-director Sean Penn never fully buys into Christopher's vision that this is all one important rebellious gesture.  With voiceover narration by Christopher's sister Karine (Malone), who like her parents was left agonizing for two years over Christopher's fate.  His actions take on a certain level of cruelty towards those who love him.  We sense he is running from his past, in which his father (Hurt) was abusive to his mother (Harden) and were on the verge of divorce.  Dad straightened up his act, but Christopher never forgave him.  One day, he snapped and decided to run away under the guise of rebellion against society.  

Christopher remained true to his journey.  He would take on odd jobs, meet people, befriend them, and then break their hearts by leaving.  One such person is Ron Franz (Holbrook), a lonely man with a sad history and a wife and son that died in a car crash years ago.  He grows to love Christopher, but worries for him because he understands Christopher is running away and holding on to anger instead of forgiving.  He also knows Christopher will not compromise with his choices.  He is set on a path, and not even Ron's proposal to adopt him and become his grandfather would sway him.  This is among the most heartbreaking scenes in the movie, and Holbrook's performance earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination.   

As played by Hirsch, Christopher is not played as a tormented soul (although he is one, but he keeps that hidden).   He is friendly, open, and would appear outwardly untroubled and unburdened.  But when is dying in the Alaskan bus from starvation, we see him finally unburden himself, although by then it is too late.  His journey sags in the middle at points, but then Into the Wild propels forward again after many pit stops along the way.  Christopher's story was tragic in nearly every sense you can imagine.