Into The Wild

As I was watched this the story and ultimate plight of young John McCandless (or Alexander Supertramp as he renames himself) left me somewhat cold. What an incredibly dumb thing to do, I thought. And the rambling travel and adventure that led up to his last days in a deserted old bus in the middle of the Alaskan wilds, seemed to me just as pointless as his end. But perhaps, in hindsight, I was feeling grouchy and tired at the end of a long day (I watched this on a flight home to Sydney from New Zealand), because as time has gone by I feel much better about this movie. McCandless story has stuck with me and his philosophy and uncompromising stance has made me think, which is after all what good movies are supposed to do. The self-portrait of the actual McCandless at the end of the film made me sit up and pay closer attention. Here is a true story which in all likelihood has been reconstructed with remarkable accuracy. I understand Sean Penn took great pains over interviewing the characters that crossed McCandless life in the period portrayed here. Emile Hirsch gives a completely committed performance and literally wastes away before our eyes.