Pretentious, saccharine, over-blown nonsense

Rating: 1/10 (8 October 2008)

Judging from some of the comments I've read, this has to be one of the most overrated and misguided films of all time. Had there been an option for 0 out of 10, I would have voted thus for sure.
I don't really know where to start... I haven't read the book, but I'm certain that, if I had, I would never have inflicted the ordeal of watching this on myself.
This is the story of a spoilt, rich kid, who self-indulgently flees his family problems - and those of the society he so resents - instead of facing up to any kind of responsibility or even attempting to rectify the injustices he so pertinently feels.
What really grates with me is that this is a wasted opportunity. Christopher McCandless is the product of a society, which places too much value on the individual - hence his ultimately selfish decision to take flight to his over-romanticised 'wilderness' (an abandoned bus!!!)- rather than use his all-too-lauded intelligence to better it.
What a character for hero-worship!! The way in which he is - and I don't use the term lightly - deified by Sean Penn ranges from the unpalatable to the damn near puke-making.
There are a couple of moments in this film, which epitomise this errant viewpoint. Namely when two of it's more likable characters - the hippy wife and the old gimmer veteran - point out that Christopher should consider contacting his family. But - surprise, surprise - both are won over by his 'free spirit'...
No, no, no, no, no. If the flaky Sean Penn, much like his subject, had had the balls, this would have been the point to turn back, but, predictably, we fall deeper into the mire of tedious, self-indulgent and, quite frankly, out-of-touch morality.
'Into the wild' should serve, not only as a shining beacon of how not to live your life, but also as a guide for how not to make a film.
I would encourage people to watch this film, but only so they can see what a god-awful travesty it is. Christopher McCandless wasted his life - and a good couple of hours of mine too, but if any good is to come of it, we need to make sure that he and others like him (I'm looking at you Sean Penn) are given a good slap in the chops and told to grow up.
Peace out!!!!!!!!!