The Sean Penn (The Crossing Guard, The Pledge) directed Into the Wild had all the promise of a movie that could have lived in the lives of high school students around the country for years to come. The novel of the same name, penned by Jon Krakauer, is part of the high school curriculum in many school systems around the country. The movie is rated R. I’ve seen it twice. Had a couple of scenes been toned down, the movie could have easily garnered a PG-13 rating, thus allowing it to be viewed in English class after reading the book. I don’t know if Penn thought about this when making the movie and, if he did, if he even cared. It is, however, food for thought.

Into the Wild chronicles the journey of Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch – Lords of Dogtown, Spide Racer), who, after his college graduation, donates all of his money and an opportunity to attend law school at Harvard in favor of trekking across the country to experience life in the Alaskan wilderness. We find Chris in his current situation at the start of the film…on his “magic bus” that he found abandoned in the Alaskan wilderness, miles and miles from any other human being. Through his journals, we learn of the many tales he has experienced, the extraordinary people he met during his two-year expedition, and the events that have led him into the dire situation in which he finds himself.

The story is retold partly through what Chris himself wrote in his journals and through the voice of his younger sister Carine (Jenna Malone – The Messenger, Ruins). Carine paints a picture as well as, if not better than, Chris did. She talks of the heartache he has caused their parents. They become so distraught with concern over their missing son that it slowly destroys their lives. Despite not hearing from him, she tries to convince herself that he is okay.

The keys to this movie are the environment, the relationships of the characters, and the soundtrack. I can’t recall more than a few minutes shot in anything but the outdoors (excluding the magic bus). We see the landscapes of the heartland of America firsthand. We meet characters who impact Chris. But the impact Chris leaves on those he meets is where the real impressions are. The characters and the environment that they live in illustrate the story of hope, happiness, and survival. Penn asked a softer and gentler Eddie Vedder to write the music for the movie. His voice carries the viewer from tale to tale, and his lyrics help us understand Chris’s passion for finding a deeper meaning in life.

I am neither an English nor a Psychology major, but the study of Chris McCandless is an interesting topic for those studying both subjects. Is Chris selfless or selfish? Does leaving all of his worldly possessions behind and relying on the kindness of others while providing the same amount of kindness in return constitute pure altruism? Or does leaving his family without a word and never attempting to contact them even to let them know that he is doing okay warrant the label of an egocentric? Like the rest of us, Chris is neither all good nor all bad but rather something in between. However, where he falls on that scale is in the eye of the beholder. However, what cannot be questioned is his kindness, passion, and bravery. Some might say you can’t question his ill-preparedness or lack of experience living off the isolated land, but that is neither here nor there. Once he set his goal, he would not be stopped, no matter how hard the circumstances or long it took him.

The slew of actors who had minor roles in this movie seemed endless. From Chris’s heartbroken mother (Marcia Gay Harden – Mystic River, Pollock) to his overbearing and abusive father (William Hurt – The Doctor, Kiss of the Spider Woman) to affable but careless low-truck driver Wayne (Vince Vaughn – Old School, Swingers), the performances were all spot on. Two characters stood out amongst the others.

The most notable is Hollbrook, whose performance as Ron is breathtakingly beautiful. Holbrook, at the age of 82, earned his first Academy Award nomination. His movie career has spanned over 40 years, but this is the first time many have seen his work. When I saw this movie in the theater, I thought his performance was good but not Oscar-worthy. Looking back, I felt this way because he didn’t appear on the screen until the movie was three-quarters the way through. And even then, he was just in a few short scenes. Upon my second viewing, I see better what the Academy saw, which is that of a grieving old man who, while still a functioning member of society, is bitterly alone and facing the end of his life with plenty to share but no one to share with. The scene in which Chris and Ron’s part is beyond words if you can connect with Ron during the short time he is on screen. To be able to capture both his love for life as well as the sadness he experiences on a daily level can be done only by such a seasoned and accomplished actor as Holbrook. Holbrook, rightfully so, was beat out by Javier Bardeem in the Best Supporting Actor Award category for his performance in 2007’s Best Picture, No Country For Old Men. However, had that movie been released in another year, Holbrook’s short screen presence may have been award-deserving.

Also deserving of individual recognition was Kristen Stewart (Twilight Series), a sixteen-year-old aspiring guitarist named Tracy who has grown up in Slab City (an RV park in the California desert where its accessible facilities have long been known to draw in hippies, free-spirits, and free-loaders. While she has performed in front of large crowds, she has never performed outside the park. She quickly becomes transfixed with Chris upon his arrival, offering herself to him within days of meeting him. Chris restrains himself, and rather than taking something away from her, he gives her something that he hopes they will bother to remember for the rest of their lives. He performs a duet with her in Slab City. Similarly to Holbrook’s character, Stewart’s Tracy is awed by Chris and seems to experience great heartache upon his departure, despite only knowing the young man for a short period.

Plot 9/10
Character Development 8.5/10
Character Chemistry 9.5/10
Acting 9/10
Screenplay 8.5/10
Directing 7.5/10
Cinematography 10/10 (beautiful sweeping shots of America’s landscape. The visuals of Alaska are particularly stunning)
Sound 10/10 (can’t go wrong with a soundtrack written and performed by Eddie Vedder, lead singer of the greatest band ever)
Hook and Reel 8.5/10
Universal Relevance 9.5/10
90%

This score is a higher reflection than what I initially thought I would have given the film. While this is a very good movie, it had the potential to be a masterpiece. I’m not exactly sure why it didn’t succeed on that level. It had the elements (a captivating true story, quality acting, an established director, fantastic writing, an excellent score, etc.). It lacked that certain “it” factor that all great ones have. If I had been forced to pick the one reason why this movie was not Oscar-worthy, I would have put the fault on Penn. I don’t know if he could have done this movie any better, but a different director might have been able to take the film from a B+/A- to an A.

Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie

• Leave No Trace
• Captain Fantastic
• Boyhood
• 127 Hours
• Wild