Into the wild

I missed this film in the theaters and couldn’t wait to watch it on DVD when it came out. While I did enjoy the film, I was somewhat under whelmed which may be because this is a “big” film that loses some of its appeal on the small screen, but I think it’s because of some sloppy storytelling.

First, however, I did love a couple of things. The acting is amazing. Why this film did not get nominated for more acting awards is beyond me. Emile Hirsch is wonderfully subdued as the idealist, thoughtful, yet troubled young Chris McCandless. While Hal Holbrook received most of the praise for his supporting role I found that Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker’s performances as a hippie couple mesmerizing. All of the acting was subtle, powerful and delicate, not surprising since the film is directed by just such a great actor, Sean Penn.

I also found the cinematography beautiful. Instead of going for the glamour nature shots, Eric Gautier, goes for more of a natural, gritty feel that adds an element of tension to the film. All too often Hollywood films go for a look that is too vibrant and melodramatic rather than real. It’s nice to watch a film that pays homage to the beauty of the locations rather than trying to manipulate it.

So what didn’t work? Well, Penn seemed to be enamored with a romanticized version of McCandless. Maybe this is exactly what this guy was like, but as a leading character in a film some changes were needed. He is set up to be this incredibly intelligent, over-achieving young man who then makes a couple of very dumb decisions that lead to his death. This is where I lost the film. It was already getting long in the tooth and beginning to drag about two-thirds of the way through when McCandless’ character makes two decisions which seem out of character and ultimately lead to his death. I’m not questioning that someone in his position wouldn’t make these bad decisions, but the character in the film was set-up in a way that they seemed totally out of character. This is where Penn’s romanticized vision comes into play. I get the feeling that Penn didn’t want to dive into the dark side, or impulsiveness, of McCandless’ character which could have cast the lead as a less-than romantic figure. As a result, the climax of the film is weakened when, as viewers, you stop and ask “why didn’t he just…” Never something you want your audience asking at the end of a film. Despite the awkward ending, this film is worth watching for the acting and cinematography alone.

Rating:

Film’s website: http://www.intothewild.com/