Project-Blu ‘Into the Wild’ Review, by Guest Contributor Josh Walker

Into the Wild

By: Josh Walker, 5.24.2009

The Movie Itself:
 Have you ever had the thought to just uproot one day and hit the open road, leaving all your responsibilities and cares behind you, and setting out on a journey to find yourself? In hopes to find true happiness without the material things some believe will make you happy or important? It’s a common daydream, but not something done in the literal sense very often. Although it was as a reality for Christopher McCandless.

Christopher (Emile Hirsch) had just graduated and had the possible opportunity to attend Harvard law, but his heart was just not into the idea. His parents offered to pay the balance of his tuition after he used the remaining $24,000 of his college fund. They also offered to buy him a new car, but he did not like the sound of that at all. He believed his car was just fine and he did not want material “things.” One day he decided that he was tired of this fake material life he was involved in and was getting out for good.

He mails a check for the remaining sum of his college fund to a charity and hits the road. He drives off into the sunset without informing anyone of his intentions or his direction. His trusty vehicle later falls victim to a spontaneous flash flood, so he continues his journey by foot. Hitchhiking across state lines with hippies, finding side jobs with interesting people and kayaking down the canyons to Mexico with no money or identification. On a seemingly pointless mission to get to Alaska, just to “be there, living in it all”.

I don’t want to give away too many elements of the story because I believe the surprise of watching him encounter them one after another is the attraction to the film. There are many other great characters played by great actors and actresses such as William Hurt (Chris’ father), Jena Malone (Chris’ sister), Vince Vaughn, and Kristen Stewart.

The story never really slows down to the point of boredom due to the constant adventures and interesting people he meets. To me, this is a perfect example of great story telling. The adventures that he encounters make for an absolutely great and entertaining story to be told. This is truly an inspiring story of personal achievement in a quest for self freedom.
Rating: 8/10

The Presentation:
Into the Wild is presented in a 1080p/VC-1 encode that shows off the beautiful landscapes of this film wonderfully. I believe it could have been better overall, but am pleased with it. Colors and details appeared a bit soft in some night shots, possibly victim of DNR. I just found myself looking for a bit more of that “HD pop” I have seen in other nature scenes on Blu-ray. Skin tones looked great and natural along with the beautiful earthy backdrop in almost every scene. The film has a very natural feel to it throughout with a hint of grain. The contrast was spot on with deep blacks complimenting the beautiful color palette. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe many will see this transfer as a disappointment. I just feel it could have been better.

The 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio track is even more impressive than the video. The rushing water during a scene where Christopher is kayaking down a channel to Mexico is really spectacular. The ambiance in numerous outdoor nature scenes is amazing. Birds chirping, wind blowing and other natural sounds you would find in the wild. Not only do the sound effects further engross you into the movie, but the musical soundtrack is absolutely top notch. The soundtrack features original music from Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) which is marvelous and fits in with the film perfectly.
Rating: 8/10

The Extras:
The Story, The Characters (SD, 22 minutes)
A collection of interviews from the cast and director Sean Penn as well as a short look into the original book. Unfortunately this is in standard definition.

The Experience (SD, 17 minutes)
A look into the location in which the film was shot. Also a look into the great soundtrack by Eddie Vedder. Also presented in standard definition.

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3 minutes)
Nothing to say about this, just the trailer for the movie. At least this is in high definition.
Rating: 2/10

Overall:
I would highly recommend this disc to anyone with the slightest interest to see it. The magnificent story is supported by a remarkable soundtrack and paired with an amazing array of beautiful HD scenery. I only wish there were more extras. I would really like to see more about the real life Christopher McCandless on this disc. Who knows, maybe Paramount is planning a double dip. If so, count me in.
Rating: 7/10