Now on DVD: Sean Penn, Into the Wild

by Freeman Montaque
03/05/2008

If there was ever any doubt what Sean Penn was capable of behind the camera, let those reservations now be put to rest with Into the Wild, his best film to date. Gorgeously shot, sharply written and superbly acted by performers all around, Into the Wild should go down as the actor-turned-director’s crowning achievements, as well as one of the very best films of the year 2007.

The story follows Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a recent Emory graduate who decides to expel himself from the confines of conformity and his parents (William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden) in the hopes of exploring the great Alaskan wilderness with nothing on him but his wit and thirst for adventure. Along the way, he meets a number of different character (played by Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker, Kristen Stewart, Vince Vaughn and Hal Holbrook) who each leave undeniable impressions on the young traveler before he meets his untimely demise.

Hirsch carries the film with ease, completely immersing himself into the psyche of McCandless so well that it doesn’t take long to believe the person you’re seeing on screen is in fact the actual subject. Keener’s performance as the amiable hippie is just as realistic and genuine. But if there’s one performance that leaves the greatest impact, it is that of Hal Holbrook, in his Oscar-nominated turn as Ron Franz. The veteran actor’s introduced until late in the film, but he makes the most of his role and pulls us in almost instantly. His farewell scene with Hirsch in the truck is one of the most touching and moving pieces of acting that has graced the cinema in years.

While the film itself is great, the DVD looks poised to disappoint. The single disc version includes the film and nothing else. The 2-disc edition, while it may sound nice and likely to pack several bonus features such as deleted or extended scenes, making-of documentaries, and possibly theatrical trailers, only includes two featurettes: “Into the Wild: The Story, the Characters” and “Into the Wild: The Experience.” Two run at approximately twenty minutes and seventeen minutes, respectfully.

Additionally, a film as epic as this, as most sweeping dramas are, does not provide the same type of impact it otherwise would in a theater. This is the type of motion picture meant to be seen on the big screen, with its lush Alaskan peaks and mountainous landscapes seeming to extend off of the screen. On DVD, the viewer cannot enjoy this same type of experience.

Still, the film is not to be missed. While it won’t pack as much of a punch on the small screen as it did in the theatre, the film still manages to pull you in and take you along for a two and a half hour ride that never drags and never bores.

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Sean Penn Into The Wild Jon Krakauer Emile Hirsch Christopher Mccandless Cinema Review

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