Morgan BellREVIEW: Into The Wild
May 14th 2008 13:39
Directed: Sean Penn (The Pledge, The Crossing Guard)
Written: Sean Penn (screenplay) - based on the book by Jon Krakauer
Starring: Emile Hirsch (Imaginary Heroes, The Emporers Club), Hal Holbrook (The Bachelor, The Client), Catherine Keener (Friends With Money, Capote, Being Johnn Malkovich), Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, The Cell, Psycho), Jena Malone (Cheaters, Donnie Darko), William Hurt (The Village, The Big Chill), Marcia Gay Harden (American Dreamz, Mona Lisa Smile)
This film is based on the true story of Christpher McCandless (Hirsch), a middle class young man who graduates Emory University as a top student and athlete in 1992, abandons all his possessions and hitchhikes across the USA to the wilderness of Alaska. McCandless donates his life savings to charity, becomes estranged from his parents (Hurt and Harden) and his sister (Malone), and embarks on a journey of self-discovery away from the trappings of the modern materialistic world . . . he is searching for happiness by being alone and self-reliant and emmerced in nature . . . he is searching for happiness by discarding all he has ever known and plunging deep into the wild. McCandless changes his name to "Alexander Supertramp" and tries to escape the mental trauma of his manipulative and domineering parents . . . he is essentially running away and searching for his own identity in isolation from his over-bearing family . . . but the journey to Alaska takes a couple of years and along the way he encounters a series of dynamic characters (including Keener, Vaughn, and Holbrook) who shape his life, philosophies and the way he relates to other people. The soundtrack was mostly composed and performed by Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam and the film was one of the most critically acclaimed indie flicks of 2007 earning Hal Holbrook an Oscar nomination. This is a very contemplative film that examines through dialogue how different people prioritise relationships and material possessions. The film makes you question what the point of life is, and how can we can ultimately achieve happiness. McCandless first appears as an ungrateful spoilt brat who could never truly understand what poverty or hardship is but as the film progresses you begin to admire his quest for knowledge and truth . . . he soaks up knowledge like a sponge yet can never feel satisfied because he cant locate what he is missing no matter how remote his travels become . . . the resounding message being "happiness is only real when shared" . . . a sweet tragic story with excellent performances.
Eddie Vedder music video "Hard Sun" featuring footage from Into The Wild
Written: Sean Penn (screenplay) - based on the book by Jon Krakauer
Starring: Emile Hirsch (Imaginary Heroes, The Emporers Club), Hal Holbrook (The Bachelor, The Client), Catherine Keener (Friends With Money, Capote, Being Johnn Malkovich), Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, The Cell, Psycho), Jena Malone (Cheaters, Donnie Darko), William Hurt (The Village, The Big Chill), Marcia Gay Harden (American Dreamz, Mona Lisa Smile)
This film is based on the true story of Christpher McCandless (Hirsch), a middle class young man who graduates Emory University as a top student and athlete in 1992, abandons all his possessions and hitchhikes across the USA to the wilderness of Alaska. McCandless donates his life savings to charity, becomes estranged from his parents (Hurt and Harden) and his sister (Malone), and embarks on a journey of self-discovery away from the trappings of the modern materialistic world . . . he is searching for happiness by being alone and self-reliant and emmerced in nature . . . he is searching for happiness by discarding all he has ever known and plunging deep into the wild. McCandless changes his name to "Alexander Supertramp" and tries to escape the mental trauma of his manipulative and domineering parents . . . he is essentially running away and searching for his own identity in isolation from his over-bearing family . . . but the journey to Alaska takes a couple of years and along the way he encounters a series of dynamic characters (including Keener, Vaughn, and Holbrook) who shape his life, philosophies and the way he relates to other people. The soundtrack was mostly composed and performed by Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam and the film was one of the most critically acclaimed indie flicks of 2007 earning Hal Holbrook an Oscar nomination. This is a very contemplative film that examines through dialogue how different people prioritise relationships and material possessions. The film makes you question what the point of life is, and how can we can ultimately achieve happiness. McCandless first appears as an ungrateful spoilt brat who could never truly understand what poverty or hardship is but as the film progresses you begin to admire his quest for knowledge and truth . . . he soaks up knowledge like a sponge yet can never feel satisfied because he cant locate what he is missing no matter how remote his travels become . . . the resounding message being "happiness is only real when shared" . . . a sweet tragic story with excellent performances.
Eddie Vedder music video "Hard Sun" featuring footage from Into The Wild
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I really love The Pledge, it's my favourite of his so far - a slow, dark and brooding masterpiece.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment!
i agree with you about The Pledge, i was totally entralled by the themes (CLICKHERE for more . . . ) and it seems Penn has a real talent for making the audience think and question themselves
Into The Wild was a great little film, its in the new release section of dvd rental stores now
Comment by Bianca S
Cinema Voyage
great review morgan
Comment by Morgan Bell
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this film has made me a new fan of Emile Hirsch, i then went out and watched Imaginary Heroes and he was fantastic is that too . . . he may be our next big star?
im glad you loved this film, it has such a cruisy soulful feel to it, its like the whole experience is good for you!
thanks for stopping in, always great to hear your opinions!
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
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Padsoc
The movie brought up some interesting questions, like how do you deal with a society you don't approve of? I don't like tragic stories in general, but this film was beautifully shot, had interesting characters and a soundtrack which really brought it to life.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i didnt even find it that tragic as i felt, despite where he physically ended up at the end, that spiritually he had found inner peace and happiness . . . i agree with you about soundtrack, characters and cinematography, all beautifully combined to make this a thoroughly enjoyable film!
Comment by Jason King
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Keener rocks hey! shes a cool lady! shes really earthy and natural in this, i just wanna have a cuppa around the fire with her!
a "perfect union", that is so true, all the element of the film had nice balance and symmetry . . . i dont know if it quite inspired me to take off into the wild though, i couldnt do without my internet connection! haha
Comment by postmoderncritic
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Yeah, I may be totally fed up with society but I couldn't do without it either... and the longest time I have been away for the internet over the last two or three years has been three days.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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well ive probably lasted a tad longer than that! lol
not much though, but a couple of weeks if im hanging out with friends . . . the net is more for my alone time
my phone though, i can even last an hour . . . the times it has run out of battery or been lost or stolen i have felt as though someone amputated my arm!