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Movies / On DVD / Into the Wild
Into the Wild

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Into the Wild (2007)

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Reviews Counted:179

Fresh:147

Rotten:32

Average Rating:7.5/10

Consensus: With his sturdy cast and confident direction, Sean Penn has turned a complex work of non-fiction like Into the Wild into an accessible and poignant character study.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language and some nudity.

Runtime: 3 hrs 8 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Sep 21, 2007 Limited

Box Office: $18,173,360

Synopsis: Jon Krakauer's bestselling nonfiction book about the life of Chris McCandless is finally brought to the big screen in INTO THE WILD. Directed by Sean Penn, the film opens in 1992, when Chris (Emile... Jon Krakauer's bestselling nonfiction book about the life of Chris McCandless is finally brought to the big screen in INTO THE WILD. Directed by Sean Penn, the film opens in 1992, when Chris (Emile Hirsh) is a promising college graduate. Shortly after graduation, Chris gives his life savings to charity, burns all of his identification, and begins hitchhiking across America, his ultimate goal being Alaska. Citing passages from his heroes, Thoreau and Jack London, he is determined to escape society and get back to nature. He blows from town to town like a tumbleweed, hopping trains, camping with aging hippies (Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker), working briefly with a farmer (Vince Vaughan), and befriending a widowed leather worker (Hal Holbrook). He revels in his newfound freedom, but meanwhile, his parents (Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt) have no idea where he is, and are sick with worry. While their relationship with Chris was already troubled, they are nonetheless devastated by his disappearance. Chris's sister, Carine (Jane Malone), narrates much of the film, offering her reflections on the effect Chris's absence has on his family. Chris finally makes it to Alaska, where he hikes out to a remote campsite and discovers an abandoned bus. He manages to survive there for a few months living off the land, but he eventually runs out of supplies and becomes trapped, leading to his tragic end. INTO THE WILD bounces around chronologically, jumping back and forth from the start of Chris's journey to his final few weeks living aboard the bus. This works to great effect as the storylines begin to merge and the tension and dread mount, and we see the fate that will eventually befall Chris. Penn obviously had great admiration for his subject, and while the film appears to differ from the book in places, it nevertheless paints a heartbreaking portrait of this young man's short but fascinating life. [More]

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, Zach Galifianakis

Director: Sean Penn

Director: Sean Penn
Screenwriter: Sean Penn
Producer: Sean Penn, Art Linson, Bill Pohlad
Composer: Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder
Studio: Paramount Vantage

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Release:

Mar 4, 2008

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Reviews for Into the Wild

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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The kind of insipid hero-worship that traps the subject in wax

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/27/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion

Thank goodness for Eric Gautier’s miracle of cinematography that floods the screen with spectacular moments of pristine beauty and long shots ...

Full Review Source: JWR | comment Comment
07/23/09
S. James Wegg
S. James Wegg
JWR

A long trip, but worth the wait. Paul Chambers, CNN.

Full Review Source: CNNRadio | comment Comment
07/22/09
Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
CNNRadio
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Peter Keough
Peter Keough
Boston Phoenix
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: CHUD | comment Comment
02/27/09
Devin Faraci
Devin Faraci
CHUD

Into The Wild has been made into a prayer of a motion picture by Sean Penn. It may not touch everybody, but those whom it does touch, it will touch deeply. It is a haunting odyssey.

Full Review Source: Fayetteville Free Weekly | comment 1 Comment
02/02/09
Tony Macklin
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly

Penn has managed an impressive achievement that qualifies as a great American film. [Blu-ray]

Full Review Source: ON Magazine | comment Comment
12/31/08
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
ON Magazine

...it's not the character of McCandless...but the supporting cast and characters who bring the story to life.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
12/09/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | comment Comment
10/18/08
Scott Nash
Scott Nash
Three Movie Buffs
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org

Often too concerned with how smart he's being, Sean Penn gets the quiet moments right while some of the more dialogue-intensive come off poorly.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
09/30/08
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy

an intensely intimate and personal experience

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
08/07/08
Dan Jardine
Dan Jardine
Apollo Guide

Hirsch may be the talk of Into the Wild, but Penn should be commended for putting together such a strong cast.

Full Review Source: Watertown Daily Times | comment Comment
07/23/08
Adam Tobias
Adam Tobias
Watertown Daily Times

Perhaps destined to follow the same emotional arc as the true story it portrays, the film starts with great promise, passion, and inspiration only to quietly wane.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
07/16/08
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

Penn is successfully finding his filmmaker's voice.

Full Review Source: Mansized | comment Comment
05/24/08
Chris Laverty
Chris Laverty
Mansized

A tale of life needlessly lost by a young man who realizes too late that reckless self-reliance is not necessarily the path to self-awareness. That he fails to realize this sooner is tragic; that the film celebrates the misunderstanding is bewildering.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment 21 Comments
04/10/08
Rossiter Drake
Rossiter Drake
San Francisco Examiner

Sean Penn deserves huge credit for the gentle hand he has used in telling this incredible story.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
03/19/08
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

Into the Wild is a film to meditate on. It's long, it's not particularly fast moving but it struck me in a carnal fashion.

Full Review Source: Movie Views | comment Comment
03/18/08
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

This is a brilliant, personal film.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
03/03/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

Thoroughly entertaining Hollywood fare which holds up a dope as a person deserving of admiration.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
02/29/08
Kam Williams
Kam Williams
NewsBlaze
 
 
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Latest News for Into the Wild

March 27, 2008: Jay Cassidy on Into the Wild: The RT Interview
Jay Cassidy, editor of critically acclaimed film, Into the Wild, talks to RT about his long term collaboration with Sean Penn and making films in the wilds of Alaska. More...

March 03, 2008: RT on DVD: Into the Wild, Things We Lost In The Fire, My Kid Could Paint That Arrive
Into the Wild, Sean Penn's lyrical adventure about a young idealist on a cross-country trek, leads new releases this week. More...

February 22, 2008: Into the Wild's Jay Cassidy Talks Oscar Nomination with RT
Sean Penn's critically acclaimed film, Into the Wild, tells the story of Chris McCandless who hitchhiked into the Alaskan wilderness with tragic consequences. Long time Penn... More...

January 28, 2008: There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men Top ASC, DGA Awards
Perhaps the ASC and DGA Awards aren't the flashiest ceremonies of the season, but being honored by one's peers is always a cause for celebration, so let's take a moment to... More...

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