Pop Culture Buzz

GRADE: D

I have been anticipating Sean Penn’s adaptation of John Krakauer’s novel “Into The Wild” since it was released last fall, but I never got a chance to see it. Critic’s across the board have applauded “Wild’s” breathtaking scope and the great acting by lead, Emile Hirsch, and supporting actor Oscar Nominee Hal Holbrook. When I rented the film this past weekend I could hardly wait to watch it.

Sadly though, as I watched this film unfold I couldn’t help drawing parallels to a movie about another “naturist” named Timothy Treadwell in a brilliant 2006 documentary titled “Grizzly Man.” I will not debate whether this film is gorgeous to look at or that the performances are tender and finely-tuned, because I agree on those points. My issue is that I cannot get past the self-absorbed point of view of Emile Hirsch’s character, Christopher McCandless.

The idea that a man may know better than nature or that nature will always provide for man, is indeed an egotistical way of thinking about our vast untamed world. In “Into The Wild” we are asked to sympathize with a privileged young white man who has been given every opportunity in life, and chooses to shun the mold of society for the open country of Alaska.

There was nothing I could relate to in this character. I often wanted to scream at the screen and tell him to “get over his daddy issues.” I am a huge lover of the outdoors and thought that many of McCandless’ passions for nature were spot on, but his views on some things were just completely ludicrous. The scene in which he jumps into the river without a helmet in a kayak, disregarding his personal safety, wasn’t rebellious in my eyes but it was just plain stupid.

The other problem I had was how McCandless was portrayed to be a roaming guru or emotional healer for the various vagabonds he bumps into. His entry into their lives is just as short as it is ridiculous and implausible. I was not buying all the hippie love that was being portrayed on the screen. I have no doubt that there is a great movement in this country to “be one with nature” but McCandless’ extremes only ended what could have been the brilliant and intriguing life of smart young man. Too bad his pride and ego got in the way.

It pains me to write these words because I can see so much potential in telling a story like this without glamorizing the silly lifestyle choices of a confused and hurt young boy. The melodramatic scenes with William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden are just as unbearable as Eddie Veder’s pretensions yodeling on the score and soundtrack.

I look at this picture as an ego piece made by egotistical men, about a very misguided and selfish young man. You can almost hear Veder and Penn patting eachother on the back. I know some people will rip my review of this movie to shreds, but it is hard for me to sympathize with a character/real life person who is so lost in the wilderness of the real world that he couldn’t even save himself. How sad.

WATCH THE “INTOT HE WILD” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

WATCH THE “GRIZZLY MAN” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW: