Review of the film Into the Wild
Film
Review: Into the Wild
The
film Into the Wild directed by Sean
Penn is a magnum opus production exhibiting talent among Hollywood
directors. The director, formerly an actor before, acted with such seriousness
- never laughing on-screen, he transfers the same admirable seriousness when he
directs this master-piece. Penn’s ingenious mind is depicted as he delves
himself with this film where his reverence and passion is seen in portraying
the rebel tradition of the Americans who unwind the clock of time and awkwardly
reside in the realms of piety. This notion of trying to go back in the wanderers’
civilization negating the promising future invested in captures the viewers
leaving them in bewilderment. The cinematic aesthetics bring about the
intriguing emplotment, characterization and the poignant themes and symbolism
in the film which enthralls the viewers incessantly. The plot revolves around
McCandless’ life, a young graduate who forsook his bright future and went in
the journey of destiny.
As
the events in the film unfold, the viewers cannot fail to drift into the
thoughts of Christopher McCandless mystery, his travels episodes, and via flashbacks
fill-in-the-gaps about his sister Carine and unhappy parents. As the film end,
it virtually stands out as among the best in the portrayal of self-delusion in
years of movie production. Penn’s touch on characterization surpasses the
imagination of many. McCandless’ sister Carine sporadic voice endeavors to
unravel the psyche of her “wild” brother, depicting the opposing inner voice. McCandless,
a character Penn adores, he succeeds in bringing him as a self-righteous man
escaping his privileged and noble background. The intercepting shots of
close-up and long shots of McCandless on the varying landscape are
breathtaking. This help viewers build mental pictures of his thoughts and
somehow grasp his quest for oneness with the nature as each of us would on
viewing the nature on Discovery Channel. McCandless’ life travel escapades are
punctuated by the interesting people he meets who are more curious in knowing
him than he is in them. A prototype of road movie as it is, Into the Wild is not dwarfed by familiarity of the genre, as at the end is
relentless grim. Penn directs the film in such a way that McCandless encounters
people from all walks of life via which viewers re-evaluate themselves given
the same situations.
The theme of disillusionment is at the heart
of the film which by extension presents the dilemma many people undergo in
their lives. The case of McCandless is not unique in any way though it
pin-point the manifestation of the misdemeanor of our failures on the truth
around us. When McCandless failed to achieved what he set out to achieve he became
disillusioned. By all means this is a common affliction that is realized at the
high of youth idealism and exposed by cynicism. The film presents us the views
of a young man as he saw the world. McCandless as an aesthetic voyager we feel
at some point on his journey he is discouraged in life. In his quest to bring
meaning to his unhappy yet well-provided-for life, McCandless undergoes this
spiritual journey to be at peace with his inner self but ends far from his
objectives. Like McCandless, many of us face the same predicament of poverty,
hunger and educational systems which leave us more confused as we are hit by
unemployment and bankruptcies. This film indeed expands our knowledge and
therefore helps us think outside the box and see the inevitable.
Penn presents to
viewers McCandless case which is a reflection and symbolism of our unquenchable
thirst that take our ambitions to the uncharted waters. Penn’s insights in
bringing out symbolism are his fair attempt to portray America where the political and
spiritual lost ideals are resuscitated to life. McCandless is homeless by
choice and all the encounters are a big picture of the ideologies that have
been exalted by policies made. This film is an eye-opener not only to American people
but also to all around the world. The earnest folk music complements the different
situations and enforces the themes in the film. The sound tracks are very
influential in the way they bring about the tensions in the films which make
the viewers sympathize with McCandless in all his endeavors.
In
conclusion, the film Into the Wild is
a hit in the way the director depict self-delusion in life as we try to
discover what is new for happiness only later to be dismayed in the end. Self-contentment
is therefore hard to achieve if only one is trying to escape from himself or
herself in the mundane life.
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