Into the Wild (2007)

Based on Jon Krakauer's 1996 non-fiction book of the same name, Into the Wild tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who, shortly after graduating from Emory University in 1992, gave away his savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, and set off across North America, eventually making his way into the Alaskan wilderness alone. The story became one of the more discussed human interest pieces of its era, raising questions that people still argue about today: was McCandless a romantic idealist, a reckless fool, or something in between? Krakauer's book leaned sympathetic, and Sean Penn's adaptation largely follows suit, though the film is long and patient enough (running at nearly two and a half hours) to let audiences form their own conclusions.

Penn, better known as an actor, had been directing since the late 1980s, with films like The Indian Runner and The Pledge establishing him as a filmmaker drawn to slow-burning, morally serious American stories. Into the Wild is probably his most ambitious project behind the camera, produced through a combination of River Road Entertainment, Linson Entertainment, and Paramount Vantage. The production involved filming across a remarkable range of real American landscapes, from the Mojave Desert to the Alaskan backcountry, which gives the film a sense of physical authenticity that a studio-bound approach simply could not have achieved. The non-linear structure, loosely following McCandless's journey in chapters while cutting back to his family and background, keeps what could have been a simple road story feeling layered and considered.

Emile Hirsch carries almost the entire film on his shoulders, appearing in the vast majority of scenes, and it is a physically and emotionally demanding role. Hirsch had shown real range in films like Lords of Dogtown (2005) and Alpha Dog (2006), but McCandless represents a considerably different kind of challenge, requiring him to go from bright-eyed collegiate idealism through to genuine physical deterioration. The supporting cast around him is polished but largely kept at a distance by the script's design. Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt play his troubled parents, and both bring a quiet, pained quality to what are relatively limited screen appearances. Jena Malone appears as his sister, whose voiceover narration threads through the film. The score, composed and performed by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, was a notable talking point on release, a collection of original folk-inflected songs written specifically for the film rather than a conventional orchestral soundtrack.

He was brave enough to do what we all want to do at some point. He sought freedom. Emile Hirsch portrays Christopher McCandless in what is the best performance of his career. A true story of a disenchanted gifted young man who leaves society and family to explore North America on his own terms under the pseudonym Alexander Supertramp. Fantastic acting. Fantastic scripting. Tragic portrayal of a noble tale. Plus... that soundtrack by Eddie Vedder is inspired.

I keep coming back to that Eddie Vedder soundtrack as well, because it does something a more conventional score would have struggled to do. It feels like it belongs to McCandless himself, not to a film about him, which is exactly right for a story like this. At nearly two and a half hours it asks something of you, but for me that runtime earns its keep. If you want to see what Hirsch can really do when given the space, this is the one to watch, far more so than some of the genre work he has done elsewhere. Some films stay with you not because they resolve anything, but because they refuse to. This is one of those.

Rating: ★★★★½  | Year: 2007  | Watched: 2025-06-15

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Trailer

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Related on Movies With Macca

More with Emile Hirsch: Alpha Dog (2006) · Killer Joe (2011) · Lone Survivor (2013) · Lords of Dogtown (2005)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
More drama: Viy (1967) · Wonder (2017) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Beautiful Boy (2018)