Into the Wild (2007) : Movie Review

This exhilarating movie is all about an adventurous journey of a young man named Chris, who after completing his college education set out on a solo trip to hitch hike entire America without money, phone or cigarettes. He had carried a bunch of books close to him, to get lost in those worlds of fantasy, at times when he felt remorse or alone, he would engage in what seems to be called an endless chatter with his favorite fictional characters. He loved to read the works of Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Jack London and could paraphrase their quotes in almost all situations without any waiting. After securing high grades in his college, leaving behind the careerist narratives of his parents and giving his entire life's savings to charity he set out in what seems to be known as an endless journey into the wild plains, mountains and rivers of united states.

Throughout his life he craved for freedom, what he calls 'the ultimate freedom' which place him far away from the dos and don'ts of his parents, from the typical stereotyping of his culture and from the monstrous poisoning of civilization. He waited his whole life for that particular moment to take a turn, what Heidegger calls an authentic"turn" which completely transformed his minds and perspectives. Critics would say that he was never old to think and entertain such a disastrous thought of living a life in wild seclusion, abandoning all his youthful pleasures and vigor. What on earth could have made him to make such a drastic step? There are people who oppose Chris by telling that that little kid has spoiled his life, by following a haphazard and crazy dream which brutally killed him in an old ram shackled bus in the frozen Alaska. Gains and losses have no place in Chris' heart what really bothered there is endless happiness, and ultimate freedom, which he drank up up-to the brim.

There is also a serene boat of philosophy sailing through his quiet life. Chris was by all means a transcendentalist. The theory of transcendentalism makes one a person who loves everything and anything because of its inherent goodness. He in a conversation with the old Ron said, "You are wrong Ron, if you think that the real joy of life lies in the relationships, it is not just in that its in everything, God has placed it in everything.

Chris straight away shouts at us, to get moved, to travel the un traveled road and to keep moving rather than sitting on our butts. He shouted out to the old Ron and teased him, telling that he is sitting in his workshop fully caught up in his day to day orders. He challenged him towards motion, he keeps on animating us throughout the ages to abandon the usual and ordered things and to embrace novelty and new experiences. No wonder why he said that, "The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences" He was not at all against love and relationships, he left a part of him wherever he went he left a part of his soul with Tracy, with Jan and Wayne and even with Jan's little puppy. Wherever he went he found people around him to care for him, to love him and to give him hot dogs and liquor. Everybody wanted to belong somewhere, he at the same time never wanted to belong anywhere, he wanted to roam around his whole life, and for that the biggest impediment was society itself. It isn't giving a wrong message, but at the same time this movie is a timely warning to retract from the mechanistic and rotten routines of everyday life. In the novella, The flies, written by Jean Paul Sartre, we find Orestes, who with a similar mind set embark on an endless journey to improvise and expand his perspectives and thoughts. We could see people like him in our lives, they will be always different from us. They will love novelty they will be more enthusiastic about not giving away their money and wealth rather than amassing it, for they know for sure that the real happiness does not come from these material pursuits but the real happiness comes from sharing. Sharing his space with the wild, with the other, with nature.