Into the Wild (2007)
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The story
In April 1992, Chris McCandless arrives in a remote area of Alaska, seeking a life of isolation and self-reliance. He settles into an abandoned bus, content with the beauty of nature and the thrill of living off the land. However, his journey is preceded by a long, intentional withdrawal from modern society. After graduating from university, McCandless destroys his identification and belongings, embarking on a cross-country journey to experience life in the wilderness. He travels through various states, taking on odd jobs and meeting various people, all while attempting to distance himself from the comforts and perceived corruptions of civilization before finally reaching the Alaskan wild.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After graduating from Emory University in 1990, Chris McCandless becomes disillusioned with modern society and decides to live off the land. He destroys his identification, donates his savings, and travels across North America, adopting the name 'Alexander Supertramp'. He encounters various people, including a couple in California and a retired man named Ron Franz, with whom he shares his plans for Alaska. Upon reaching the Alaskan wilderness in 1992, he settles in an abandoned bus. As the seasons change, his situation becomes dire; he struggles to find food and eventually realizes the harshness of nature. After a failed attempt to reach his family due to a swollen river, he returns to the bus and falls ill after consuming poisonous plants. He dies in his sleeping bag, leaving a final note. His body is discovered two weeks later by hunters, and his remains are eventually returned to his sister.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 148
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sean Penn
- Writers
- Sean Penn · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Emile Hirsch · McCandless; Hal Holbrook · McCandless; Catherine Keener · McCandless
- Genres
- biographical; adventure; drama
- Themes
- solitude; nature; self-discovery; rejection of modern society
- Tone and mood
- poignant; reflective
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; adventure; survival
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1996 non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was praised for its poignant character study.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 83% · scale: percentage · review count: 200; Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe · Best Original Song: "Guaranteed" · won; Golden Globe · Best Original Song: "Guaranteed" · won; Academy Award · Best Editing · nominated; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor for Holbrook · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was listed as one of the AFI Movies of the Year for 2007.; The film was ranked 473rd in Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.; A replica bus used in the movie is now a tourist attraction at a restaurant in Healy, Alaska.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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