Quin GootNot Wild About Into The Wild
September 18th 2008 09:08
To say that Sean Penn is the worlds bleakest director would be like saying it gets a bit nippy in Greenland. From The Indian Runner to The Pledge Penn's world is an utterly depressing place. So for the most part Into The Wild was surprising in that the scenery was spectacularly uplifting and the characters the doomed (and stupid) Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) runs into are for the most part friendly and nice.
As you may or may not know McCandless, in response to his materialistic parents, decided to give away all his savings, cut up his credit cards and anything that could identify him and set of in his shit-heap car crosscountry to fulfil his goal of living off the land in Alaska.
Along the way he leaves his car in the course of a flash flood (after burning his dwindling cash supply) to hitchhike the rest of the way. He also runs into a pair of friendly hippies (including Catherine Keener), a roguish farmer (Vince Vaughn, who's very good) and a lonely old fart (Hal Holbrook) who offers to adopt him. As you do.
He finally reaches his destination after 2 years. And at first he finds happiness. He proves resourceful in living of the land and begins to write about his adventures. But then "Alexander Supertramp" ,as he's now calling himself, begins to realise the enormity of his decision. And it's not just living of the land that's the problem, it's the fact that he's only got himself for company. Unfortunatly he becomes cut of because from civilization because of the Spring Thaw and ends up wasting away and dieing in the "Magic Bus". As he dies he continues to record his demise. And thats basically the story.
Look, this film is really well done. While I rather Penn as an actor, his is without a doubt a powerful director and obviously this story means a lot to him. Emile Hirsch is great as McCandless, easily convincing us of his bizarre motivations. And the whole film is spectacular to look at.
It's just that it's all so bloody frustrating. McCandless's naivety is mind blowing. It's all fine to admire him for wanting to live of the land and dispense with everything materialistic in his life but to die to prove a fucking point is nothing other than stupid. STUPID STUPID STUPID.
It's a fine film but I didn't enjoy it in the end. I've never been more frustrated with a movie character.
An admirable film but a bloody annoying one at the same time.
6.5/10
Along the way he leaves his car in the course of a flash flood (after burning his dwindling cash supply) to hitchhike the rest of the way. He also runs into a pair of friendly hippies (including Catherine Keener), a roguish farmer (Vince Vaughn, who's very good) and a lonely old fart (Hal Holbrook) who offers to adopt him. As you do.
He finally reaches his destination after 2 years. And at first he finds happiness. He proves resourceful in living of the land and begins to write about his adventures. But then "Alexander Supertramp" ,as he's now calling himself, begins to realise the enormity of his decision. And it's not just living of the land that's the problem, it's the fact that he's only got himself for company. Unfortunatly he becomes cut of because from civilization because of the Spring Thaw and ends up wasting away and dieing in the "Magic Bus". As he dies he continues to record his demise. And thats basically the story.
It's just that it's all so bloody frustrating. McCandless's naivety is mind blowing. It's all fine to admire him for wanting to live of the land and dispense with everything materialistic in his life but to die to prove a fucking point is nothing other than stupid. STUPID STUPID STUPID.
It's a fine film but I didn't enjoy it in the end. I've never been more frustrated with a movie character.
An admirable film but a bloody annoying one at the same time.
6.5/10
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Comment by Cibbuano
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...but fundamentally, I thought it was a weak movie with an incredibly engaging story. McCandless' life, though monumentally stupid and selfish, is fascinating, but the film treatment leads him on a messiah-like journey.
The movie ends on this divine note, where we're supposed to shed a tear - but in reality, McCandless' last diary entry was a lot bleaker.