An excellent choice for a movie party!

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2012)

Most of the negative reviews around Into The Wild focus on two things. The merits or otherwise of Chris McCandless and the accuracy of the story. Whilst I can understand a degree of frustration at the addition of at least one fact to romanticise the story and the man, I feel sad that some people are so judgmental of others that they cannot enjoy what is a truly beautiful and thought provoking film.
At best the protagonist was brave and principled. A voice all too infrequently heard as society careers ever more headlong towards pure materialism. A man who understood that the health of the soul and the clarity of understanding his place was of utmost importance. At worse he was a selfish, ignorant and pretentious brat. A man who was so wrapped up in the tough cards life had dealt him that he unconditionally abandoned the one person who loved him and had been dealt those some cards. A man who failed to recognise that for all the relative pain he had gone through in his adolescence, he also had been given the intelligence and opportunity to really do something with his own life.
This is what makes Into The Wild first and foremost such a satisfying story. It shouldn't matter which side of the fence you fall, so long as you can appreciate the polarising nature of the character. My emotions towards him swung wildly with the narration of his sister and then seeing the positive effect he seemed to have an everyone he met on his travels. I don't judge him for his foolishness; I think life has judged him quite enough for that already.
Of course none of that covers the beautifully captured scenery, pitch perfect soundtrack and wonderful pacing of the film. The two and a half hours flies by despite the episodic nature of the story, thanks to the inter cuts between the magic bus and what led to it. Emile Hirsch does everything he needs to as the lead and the supporting cast fall in behind up wonderfully. Of particular note are William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden as the parents and Catherine Keener who maximises every second of screen time in her portrayal of the roaming hippie, haunted by the reminder of her estranged son.
There are few films capable of prompting debate quite like Into The Wild and that is a thoroughly fine trait to have. Plus it's a damn enjoyable watch.