understand but not agree

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2009)

I was disappointed that most critiques of Into the Wild have romanticized the story way too much. The highlighted ideas, ranging from going back to nature/the innocence, being true, to abandoning materialism, plus the beautiful scenery gave me all the reasons to watch this movie, which is based on the true story of Chris McCandless. With these expectations in my mind, I could not have anticipated to see a young man, despite his curiosity for the meaning of life, waste himself by indulging in anger and extremes. Yes, the story tells us what led to the anger and we understand his pain. I also acknowledge the positive influence McCandless brought for the people he met on his journey. I am even impressed by his uncommonly high moral standard and his open mind to people living on the edge. But, his stubbornness and insistence to stay in the wild was due to his hatred and the urge to revenge his parents. His ultimate goal of finding the truth was a disguised, if not self-deceit, mission to prove his parents' wrongdoings. The hypocrites or even the society he talked about are not anybody but his parents. The ways he chose to find, to reveal, to use the truth all show that he just wanted to hurt his parents and make them guilty. Connecting to nature is one thing, but subjecting oneself to the wilderness without backup or a well thought plan is another. It is reckless and ignorant no matter how much courage or stamina is involved. It is a disheartening story, and definitely not romantic or poetic, with nothing worth glorification except the beauty of nature. I have a lot of empathy for the protagonist and his family, but find the so-called adventure pointless. In contrast, the subplots manage to be geared to the evolving of mutual growth for the characters, including Chris McCandless himself. It is a pity that the built-up of these growths did not sublime soon enough for him to make a rational choice. I sincerely believe that with his intelligence and sense of justice, Chris McCandless could have led a very meaningful life for himself and for the disadvantageous. I was feeling unusually upset when I saw him so blinded from other alternatives. It felt so sad when I looked at his dad break down. The greatest performance was found towards the end of the movie where William Hurt, who looked calm, stepping out of the house, inside which Mom was setting the table for Thanksgiving (or Christmas?) dinner. First a wide shot showed him looking up the sky. Then a close-up showed his face grimacing in pain with his bloodshot eyes. His whole body was drastically trembling. He was actually trying to stop his tears running down his face when he looked up in the previous wide shot. He tried so hard to repress his sadness but it turned out to be a break down. He fell onto the ground in the yard, sitting there with his tightly clinched fists twitching, and crying in total distress. What a heartbreaking scene The bright side on the whole is that, Chris McCandless eventually forgave his parents and felt love for them – upon his death.