Portrayal Does Not Equal Endorsement

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2018)

*Spoilers*
It's interesting to see how many reviews, both positive and negative, are basing their rating on what the author thought of the lead character. To me, that is a measure of how powerful the film and the subject matter are. No matter what you think of the protagonist, the film draws you in and provokes a strong emotional response.
The film does a good, but not great, job of showing the events and the emotional impact of the events which drove McCandless away from home. The series of relationships he develops are well done, with well developed characters and real emotional attachments. In the end, as McCandless dies alone, we are reminded of all the times he pushed away those who tried bond with him.
There are some elements which distract from the film. All of Emile Hirsch's little improv bits should have hit the cutting room floor with a heavy thud. He's just not very good at improv. The "apple of my eye" bit was embarrassingly cringe-worthy. In addition, Eddie Vedder's sophomoric lyrics make the soundtrack a disaster.
I can understand why so many people are upset about the possibility of other people being led to follow in McCandless' footsteps by glorifying his quest. He was extremely irresponsible and lacking in resourcefulness. Seriously, it never occurred to him that the stream he crossed in the beginning would be impassable in the spring snowmelt? He didn't even bring a map? He could have easily hiked out if he had a map. And in the end, when he couldn't cross the stream, he didn't even try the most obvious next step, simply following the river downstream. If he had, he'd have found a cable crossing less than a mile away.
Despite the flaws, this is a powerful story well told, with many fascinating characters. Hal Holbrook, Christine Keeler, and Vince Vaughn all give outstanding performances. It's well worth watching no matter what your views on the main character.