Into the Wild (2007)
87%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
23 wins & 106 nominations total
With his sturdy cast and confident direction, Sean Penn has turned a complex work of non-fiction like Into the Wild into an accessible and poignant character study
Into the Wild is a film that will make you want to pack your bags and hit the road, but maybe not to the extent that the main character does. Emile Hirsch’s portrayal of Chris McCandless is both captivating and frustrating, as you watch him make questionable decisions that ultimately lead to his demise. The cinematography is stunning, but be warned, there are some hard-to-watch hunting scenes that might make you want to look away. Overall, it’s a worthwhile watch for anyone who has ever dreamed of leaving it all behind and living off the land, but maybe just stick to camping for now.
Production Company(ies)
Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet Corp. Goodmovies Entertainment,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Astoria, Oregon, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some nudity
Year of Release
2007
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 12.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 27m
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Language(s):English, Danish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2007 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 4, 2008
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $56,675,895
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,192,068
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,121
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,854,097
US/Canada gross: $18,354,356
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,293,861
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,316
US/Canada opening weekend: $212,440
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $304,335
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,538
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $21,488,519
Production budget ranking: 1,334
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $11,571,567
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $48,131,982
ROI to date (est.): 146%
ROI ranking: 779
Marcia Gay Harden – Billie McCandless
William Hurt – Walt McCandless
Jena Malone – Carine McCandless
Catherine Keener – Jan Burres
Brian Dierker – Rainey
Director(s)
Sean Penn
Writer(s)
Sean Penn
Producer(s)
Sean Penn, Art Linson, Bill Pohlad
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
23 wins & 106 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (200) | Top Critics (66) | Fresh (165) | Rotten (35)
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Even Penn’s more indulgent flourishes seem to enhance the film’s keen feeling.
July 6, 2010
Tim Robey
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
As [Hirsch] struggles with the elements, his increasing frailty and the cinematography’s increasing grandeur mesh in a way that’s at once iconic and wrenching.
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello
NPR.org
TOP CRITIC
Penn’s main idea about going native is making eye contact with a deer.
February 22, 2008 | Rating: C
Amy Nicholson
I.E. Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The film is about people trying to live good lives and that is ultimately a serious and worthwhile subject. Into The Wild is one of the best films of the year.
February 1, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
In its preoccupation with Mother Nature, free spirits, and the pursuit of new experiences, it forgets to tell a worthwhile story or remain consistently entertaining.
November 26, 2020 | Rating: 4/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Emile Hirsch perfectly highlights [his] untamed character. [Full review in Spanish]
November 3, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Mariló García
Cinemanía (Spain)
Penn and Hirsch test our patience with a time-tripping style of cinema that mixes fiction and nonfiction narrative styles, physical and emotional nudity, facial hair and hard-to-watch hunting scenes.
May 26, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
Into the Wild captures the recklessness, the passion, and also the cruelty of youth.
January 28, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Charleston City Paper
This is a film that is full of life, showing how much living the young man did in his short time on earth, yet it’s laced with the tragic realization that his life was somewhat wasted.
October 29, 2019 | Rating: A
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
A masterpiece; a rapturous, quintessential American odyssey that earns its place in the pantheon of the great “road” films and at the pinnacle of this year’s very best.
June 6, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)…
Plot
Based on a true story. After graduating from Emory University, Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire savings account to charity, and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
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