Based off the novel by Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild is the true story of of one young man's journey and experiences as he faces the harsh wilderness by himself. Based off the life of Chris McCandless, a recent college graduate, literally drops everything and begins a spiritual journey as he hikes his way across the Western United States. Along the way he meets a handful of people who change his perspective on life. The film is directed by actor Sean Penn, and it is for the most part, well done. Many of the shots of the sprawling wilderness are a visual treat. The performances are for the most part, solid if not spectacular. The movie's most pleasant surprise is Hal Holbrook who received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the academy for is role. Emile Hirsch delivers the performance of his young career as the strange but captivating McCandless. Some of the scenes are overdone a bit, but there's nothing too cringe worthy. One thing that the film seems to ignore a bit is the background of the character before his journey. There are few short scenes that delve into this, but i felt like for the most part, McCandless's parents, played by Academy Award winners Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt went to waste. Adding a few more scenes to explain these characters would have helped the film and help us understand the main character a bit more. The soundtrack is well done and the movie is a powerful experience. It's almost mind-boggling that someone could have lived like this, but the film does what it wanted to do. Open the viewer's eyes to a whole new perspective on life.
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