Another great film by director Sean Penn. The realism brought to Into the Wild, in the emotions and the people, accentuated the humanity that was initially shunned by Emile's portrayal of real life Christopher McCandless, who died after being on his own in the Alaskan wild.
In the film (based on John Krakauer's book of the same title), Christopher McCandless has become bitter about his relationship with his parents. He had nurture a grudge secondary to their abusive relationship with each other. Unable to trust relationships thereafter with others, he seeks nature for solace. Thus he embarks on the Great Alaskan Adventure. He bumps into different people, all sharing their joys and uniqueness along the way. However, Christopher (now taking the alias of Alexander Supertramp) has become blinded with his Alaskan quest, he doesn't realize where true happiness lies...until too late.
It is an unfortunate loss of humanity to realize that humanity, if we are gentle with each other and loving of one another, can actually help save and redeem itself! It is also a testament to how parents in their behaviors toward one another and how they express love can affect their children. Their own blindness to how their actions affected their children in this case drove Christopher away...How often is this with adolescents who grow up to become jaded adults about love. How often does dysfunction in humanity and love drive adolescents to doubt their security in life.
Christopher is an exception. He embraced life outside of the usual norms, one may even question his sanity, but in his search for truth in books, he writes the following (or so it is assumed after watching this film):
HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED.
Don't isolate yourself! Only when you forgive will God shine His love! (a quote from the film)
See this film to be inspired and learn of the human condition! It will change you forever.
