Great character study.

Rating: 8/10 (17 May 2008)

Contains spoilers: After watching this many people will comment upon the gorgeous scenery or the impressive soundtrack used throughout the movie. However i think the best thing about this film is that it is one of the most trueful and insightful character studies i have ever watched. It is so easy to identify with the actions of the protagonist and his need to find himself by abandoning all of his possessions and leaving society to travel into the wild.
I do however feel that many have misinterpreted the message of the story and what the director is saying about the choices Emile Hirsch's character has made. A lot of people have criticised him as foolish and undeserving of our sympathy. I think it is important to remember that the protagonist ran away and that despite his intelligence he is still a confused young man searching for answers. He knows that he isn't happy with his current state of life so naturally he leaves trying to find happiness elsewhere. I'll concede that travelling to alaska seems like a drastic measure to take in trying to find happiness but i feel that at the very least his actions are perfectly understandable.
At times during this film it may appear that the director was trying to criticise those living in society and settling for their ordinary lives. i think that by the end the message is clearly set out in the words of christopher mccandless in his book, "happiness only real when shared." he realises that whilst its all well and good testing yourself to the limits in the wild, at the end of the day the risks and new experiences in life are the core of a mans soul, but they mean nothing if you experience them alone. It is a tragic end shown that Christopher realised this too late. Whilst i can see that this isn't the greatest film made this decade it is certainly one of my favourites as it shows an important lesson in life and is a very touching story.
Technically this movie is just as strong as its message. the soundtrack is great as is the scenery which is to be expected really from a film set partly in alaska. the acting was the biggest surprise to me, emile hirsch was fantastic, I've only previously seen him in the girl next door and whilst he was good there, he shows a real maturity in this film and in my opinion displays a great amount of talent.
To sum up, this movie clearly isn't for everyone as the pacing can be criticised as a bit slow. however if anyone is looking for a convincing character study then this movie is perfect.