Into the Wild

 Into the Wild

The life long journey of Self-Discovery is something I believe we all undertake in our own way - most of us travel, some of us seek it in the work we do, or the people we associate with, but never have I seen such a brash and risky venture as the one embarked on by the character of Chris in the movie "Into the Wild".

I originally went to see this film for 3 reasons;

1. I love any films that focus on self-discovery through travel;

2. It was directed by Sean Penn; and

3. Most of the original songs and music for the film were done by My Main Man - Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.

I really related to the central character here as I myself have been on a personal journey of self-discovery through travel. In late 2003, I headed off overseas for a year to see the world, meet my extended family, work in other countries and hopefully by the end of it all… be filled with a new found direction. I got most of that in return (and a few surprises) and “My Year Away”, as I like to call it, at the age of 21 was and always will be one of the most personal and pivotal turning points in my life.

So as you can guess, I watched this brilliantly made and extremely well-acted film, lapping up every minute of it and found myself feeling what was happening. For most of the time, I forgot that I was watching a movie to be honest.

For those of you who aren’t aware of this film, it tells the story of Chris who has just graduated from college. He is rambunctious, rebellious and a free spirit. Instead of accepting a new car from his parents and a letter of offer from Harvard, he hits the road on foot, cutting himself off from all his connections, mainly society and especially his parents. His goal is to go to Alaska and immerse himself in the natural surroundings and discover who he is. When he arrives, he finds an old, derelict bus abandoned in the trees and sets this up as his makeshift home. We are then taken back over the past 2 ½ years to see where Chris went, the people he met and changes he went through. It's a fascinating journey that really inspires you to get up off the couch and hike out into the wilderness of your own country, which is so easily accessible and open. It's there waiting for you, and the character of Chris relishes every aspect of that privilege in his own adventure across the American landscape.

Do yourself a favour and watch “Into the Wild”. There’s a lot to take in during its running time, which presents as often challenging, confronting and difficult viewing, as we observe the character of Chris’s unexplained motivations take him into extreme isolation and the edge of sanity. But if you’re willing to take the journey with him, it might reignite the adventurer in you and set you on your own journey to find out who you are and your place in the world. 

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