One of the most incredible films you'll ever see. It will leave you thinking for a while

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2014)

Chris McCandless is an ambitious young man who has just graduated from university. He is bored of civilization, his parents, and his current life in general. He decides to unload his life savings to charity, leave all his belongings aside to go on a journey into the wilderness. He leaves his Yellow Datsun behind so nobody can find him, deciding to go on this journey penniless. Despite frantic concerns and heartbreak from his family, Chris elects not to speak to them during his journey. He encounters different types of people who not only change Chris in a profound way but others as well. I'm not trying to over hype this by any means but prepare for plenty of passion in my review. It has been a long time since a movie has moved me like this one. This movie is a triumph of the human spirit, it's about living, sacrifice, new experiences, and how life should be about the simple things. It risks being pretentious at times but it is so adroitly done, it manages to avoid that. I actually saw the first half of this movie a couple of years ago but something popped up and I never got around to finishing it. I think that was a blessing in disguise because I am much more mature as a human being. I'm not sure I would have been able to appreciate the magnitude of this film or the beauty of it. There are so many amazing things in this movie, I don't know where to begin. The story sucked me in right from the outset. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it all the more tantalizing. For over two hours, you get to see many breathtaking sights from the terrific cinematography. It never gets old, trust me. Before I continue further, I'd like to speak a little bit about Christopher McCandless. The man is a very controversial figure. He has had people divided over what he decided to do. I'm one of the people who respect and admire his tenacity, and his unbridled passion. You can say what you want about him being unprepared, I just think he did something we all strive to do at a certain time. We may not have wanted to do exactly what he's done, but I'm sure many, myself included have wanted to leave everything behind and go on a journey with the freedom to live without a care in the world. In my opinion, Chris should have the utmost respect from people. He was a kind-hearted soul that didn't deserve to go so early. I may not have known him personally, but I wish I could have. I truly admire him.
The second half is when things get a bit tougher to watch. it was in context with the story, so I accepted it, but I am very uncomfortable with animal killings. I've never agreed with hunting in genera but I accept why people do it. Even though a lot of it was in flashbacks, it was also rough to watch Chris's parents (Played with bravura by William Hurt & Marcia Gay Harden in so much anguish, even if they were partly responsible for Chris's disappointment. I especially felt for Carine (Jena Malone) She was the most genuine person, besides Chris in that family. It really tugs on your heart strings. You would think with the long running time, you might get a bit restless. I didn't. My eyes were glued to the T.V screen. I have to give a special mention to Emile Hirsch for his brave and Oscar worthy performance as Chris McCandless. He hits all of the right notes throughout the movie and gives a flawless performance. I've liked him ever since I saw Girl Next Door, and my respect for him is even bigger. It was a complex character he played and he nailed it. The supporting cast of Catherine Keener, Brian H. Dierker, Vince Vaughn, Hal Holebrook & Kristen Stewart have small but pivotal parts in this movie. I'd say Holebrook & Stewart standout the most out of all of them but they were all great. I can't remember the last time I legitimately cried during a movie, let alone cried. I'm not ashamed to say that I wept at the end of the movie. I stood there staring at the T.V in a lucid state before I gathered myself. I was emotionally exhausted, in a good way. Casual viewers may not get why I loved this movie so much but those that appreciate brilliant work will experience something that they won't forget. Sean Penn has created one of the greatest films I've ever seen. If you've made it this far in the review, drop whatever you're doing and go see it. If you don't get any emotions from watching this movie, go see a shrink. I guarantee it will uplift you in some fashion. Thank you Sean Penn for putting your heart and soul into this movie.
10/10