Freedom isn't just a choice; it's a way of life.
What does it mean to be truly free, to live without ties or restrictions? To most, freedom is a wistful dream; a utopia that is no longer possible in today's controlled and regimented society. Or is it? Sean Penn's Into the Wild tells the story of Chris McCandles (Emile Hirsch), a young man who gave his life savings of $24,000 to charity and embarked on an adventure to find himself and his place in the world.
Chris's story is one of endurance, hope and inspiration. Renouncing material wealth for a nomadic existence, he travels north through America with the sole purpose of reaching Alaska. Possessions in a backpack, his journey takes him into a world of unpredictability and chance. Meeting an array of colourful characters on the way, Chris's determination and passion paint an incredible, if solemn picture of a young man disillusioned with modern day life.
Whether he is a victim of society or a victim of his own family, we're never quite sure, yet Emile Hirsch's portrayal is one of heartfelt sensitivity. Revealing Chris as not only a restless pioneer rebelling against all that is dictated by a world of consumerism, but also as an intelligent, insightful and compassionate young man who is perhaps less an adventurer than a soul who has become lost somewhere along the way.
Capturing harsh but incredibly dramatic landscapes, his world is one governed not by civilisation but by nature itself; a formidable opponent who reveals that beauty and danger often wear the same guise.
Chris' journey is one that invokes myriad questions on the way we live life and communicate with those around us. He is an unwilling legend who paints a startlingly vivid picture of what it truly means to live freely. His story is one that will enchant all those who believe that there is more to life than a career, money and material wealth.
Four-and-a-half stars out of five
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