A Wild Controversy

“Into the Wild” was released this past Friday in New York and Los Angeles. Unfortunately it won’t be released to the rest of the U.S. until October 5th. I wasn’t aware of the limited release until I started looking for the movie times. I posted here when the trailer was released and I’m pretty excited about this film since I read the book.

It is inevitable however that this film will stir some debate. (Spoiler ahead, if you don’t know what happens in this story, stop reading) In the book and I’m sure in the film as well, the main character Christopher McCandless strikes out on a journey across the US. He ends up roaming the US, Canada, and Mexico throughout his adventure. In the end McCandless dies, mainly due to ill preparation for living in the wilderness through an Alaskan winter.

McCandless is seen by many as an icon of that youthful desire to explore and to find oneself. To others, he is looked at as an example of just how deadly that unchecked wild spirit can be. Some will think that this story might inspire copycat attempts. People who will attempt to walk into the wild themselves and survive. Personally I feel like the story represents a young man looking for what many of us are or were looking for at that age, ourselves. McCandless’ story is more than just a story of an immature yet wide eyed young man. It’s the story of that person who has been in all of us at one time or another. I think he found himself on that journey. Unfortunately he just went about it the wrong way.

4 comments September 24th, 2007