Into the Wild, The Review

Into the Wild, The Review

By Charlotte Hellemans

Into the Wild is a 2007 drama film directed by Sean Penn, based on the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer. The film tells the story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who leaves behind a life of privilege to embark on a journey of self-discovery, following his quest of the Alaskan wilderness.

Just graduated, Christopher McCandless, 22 years old, is promised a bright future. Yet, turning his back on his wealthy family and comfortable lifestyle, the young man decides to hit the road, leaving everything behind. He changed his name, donated his twenty-four thousand dollars in savings to a charity, gave up his car and almost everything he owned, and burned the money in his wallet. 

Inspired by the wild adventures of Jack London and Henry David Thoreau, from the wheat fields of the Dakotas to the choppy waters of Colorado, and through California's hippie community, Christopher will meet new people, who will present their own perception of life. Eventually, he will make his way to Alaska, where he sets up camp on an abandoned bus and tries to survive in the harsh, unforgiving wilderness.

The film is a beautiful visual experience, with breathtaking landscapes and remarkable cinematography that captures the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. To make this movie more alive, the movie features a melodious album by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, which adds an emotional aspect to the film’s vision.

The main character, Emile Hirsch, makes an impressive performance to represent the young boy McCandless,  who perfectly captures the character's idealism, wanderlust, and naivete. 

Hirsch is a complex individual, who wants to escape the materialism and conformity of modern society. His journey is both inspiring and tragic, as his quest for freedom, finding himself alone in the lands of Alaska, will also be a path to self-discovery. 

Throughout his journey, he will meet new people and will make new friends. For the fans of Twilight, Kristen Stewart will make an appearance in California's hippie community. 

I personally enjoyed this movie, it is not the type of movie that you’ll see often because the themes are not often talked about. Although it has a length of 2h28min, it is easy to understand and watch.  Some images in the movie can be shocking or not pleasant to watch, but it shows all the survival adventures that the main character decided to watch, indeed I would not recommend it to vegetarians… 

In conclusion, "Into the Wild" is a powerful and reflective film that explores themes of freedom, individualism, and the search for meaning. It is a must-see for anyone who enjoys adventure stories or the existentialism philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre.