18
Jul
2009
Into the Wild: The Movie
Points of interest: Emile Hirsch lost 40 lbs for this movie. The soundtrack is not entirely Eddie Veddar, for example there is a scene with (German?) tourists (one only in her underwear the entire scene) in which MC Hammer is playing. And that’s about it. Nothing else.
Yeah, if possible, this movie was even more boring than the book. I was pretty sure that I was going to have another movie that’s better than the book on my hands, but that’s not the case. Perhaps if I’d watched the movie before reading the book, I would have liked it. As it was, I completely stopped being interested in it about half way through. And I literally just read the book a week ago.
For the most part, the script (written by Sean Penn) stuck to the true story. It veered off path a couple of times thought. Two strong examples include Chris “Alexander Supertramp” McCandless’s note at then end, which said something about how he’d led a great and happy life or some shit, but in reality it said, please help, I’m too sick and weak and dying or whatever. The other thing was that there were all of these flashbacks to his parents’ sometimes violent, often conflicted marriage. The movie did mention his father’s infidelity wherein he fathered a child with his first wife after Chris was born, but it made it seem like the family covered up the fact that his father had been previously married at all. Chris had six half siblings, who he was not close to, but it’s not like he didn’t know about them. And I don’t remember the violent thing or even the shouting stuff at all. The only thing I can think of is that maybe his sister was more forthcoming later on, after the book was published.
Once again though, this guy came off as an intellectual snob and an idiot. I was totally bored and unsympathetic.
Has anyone else seen this movie? I wonder if I’m a bit jaded due to not liking the book.
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The simple mistakes near the end of the book are the most poignant. When you go “Into The Wild” the little things will almost always be fatal. A small stream WILL become a raging river in Spring! Food is almost impossible to produce, find, hunt in a short amount of time. A simple injury will kill you if you don’t have enough food and water.
Look at all of the people stranded on lake Erie in the spring, it happens every year! A little advanced planning can go a long way a few simple self rescue tools including, well maybe A RAFT! would probably be a good idea when you are standing on top of really cold water on something impermanent.
Just a couple of thoughts off the top of my head, it’s been a while since I have seen the movie and a long time since I have read the book.
But then again, no life story ends on a positive note, it really is the journey.
-G
Well said!
I have read the book but I haven’t had a chance to see the movie yet. The book was okay, but I didn’t love it.
I mean, it might be mildly interesting if you have read the book…but not really. If it’s on TV sometime, then watch it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.
Spot on review. I hated this film. I hated the stupidity of the main character, yes it’s sad he died but, honestly, it was his own fault. He came across as someone who had read a survival guide, thought he knew it all and paid the price. I don’t know whether we were supposed to feel as if McCandless was on a spiritual journey; he was trying to be enlightened? Were we supposed to be envious? I got the expression from the film that it was making him a figure to be emulated. That might not have been the case but it seemed that way. The people I felt for were his family.
I haven’t read the book or watch the movie yet, but you’re not the first to have found the guy unsympathetic. I’ve heard people say they would like to have slapped some sense into him.