Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Into the Wild

  • 2007
  • R
  • 2h 28m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
636K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
768
37
Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Vantage
Play trailer2:32
20 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureBiographyDrama

After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska ... Read allAfter graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters th... Read allAfter graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

  • Director
    • Sean Penn
  • Writers
    • Sean Penn
    • Jon Krakauer
  • Stars
    • Emile Hirsch
    • Vince Vaughn
    • Catherine Keener
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    636K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    768
    37
    • Director
      • Sean Penn
    • Writers
      • Sean Penn
      • Jon Krakauer
    • Stars
      • Emile Hirsch
      • Vince Vaughn
      • Catherine Keener
    • 1.1KUser reviews
    • 254Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #224
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 23 wins & 106 nominations total

    Videos20

    Into The Wild
    Trailer 2:32
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Trailer 2:33
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 1:11
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 1:12
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 0:45
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 2:06
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 0:35
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild
    Clip 1:10
    Watch Into The Wild
    Into The Wild: Clip 6
    Clip 1:16
    Watch Into The Wild: Clip 6
    Into The Wild: Clip 2
    Clip 1:15
    Watch Into The Wild: Clip 2
    Into The Wild: Clip 5
    Clip 1:10
    Watch Into The Wild: Clip 5
    Into The Wild: Clip 7
    Clip 0:46
    Watch Into The Wild: Clip 7

    Photos141

    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch and Jena Malone in Into the Wild (2007)
    William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart in Into the Wild (2007)
    Hal Holbrook and Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
    Kristen Stewart at an event for Into the Wild (2007)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Emile Hirsch
    Emile Hirsch
    • Chris McCandless
    Vince Vaughn
    Vince Vaughn
    • Wayne Westerberg
    Catherine Keener
    Catherine Keener
    • Jan Burres
    Marcia Gay Harden
    Marcia Gay Harden
    • Billie McCandless
    William Hurt
    William Hurt
    • Walt McCandless
    Jena Malone
    Jena Malone
    • Carine McCandless…
    Brian H. Dierker
    • Rainey
    • (as Brian Dierker)
    Kristen Stewart
    Kristen Stewart
    • Tracy Tatro
    Hal Holbrook
    Hal Holbrook
    • Ron Franz
    Jim Gallien
    • Jim Gallien
    James O'Neill
    • Graduation Reader
    • (as James J. O'Neill)
    Malinda McCollum
    • Waitress
    Paul Knauls
    • Building Manager
    Zach Galifianakis
    Zach Galifianakis
    • Kevin
    Craig Mutsch
    • Wayne's Crew #1
    Jim Beidler
    • Wayne's Crew #2
    John Decker
    • Hutterite #1
    John Hofer
    • Hutterite #2
    • Director
      • Sean Penn
    • Writers
      • Sean Penn
      • Jon Krakauer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Dead Poets Society
    8.1
    Dead Poets Society
    12 Years a Slave
    8.1
    12 Years a Slave
    A Beautiful Mind
    8.2
    A Beautiful Mind
    Hotel Rwanda
    8.1
    Hotel Rwanda
    Gran Torino
    8.1
    Gran Torino
    Rush
    8.1
    Rush
    Spotlight
    8.1
    Spotlight
    Million Dollar Baby
    8.1
    Million Dollar Baby
    Room
    8.1
    Room
    V for Vendetta
    8.2
    V for Vendetta
    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    8.3
    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    Gone Girl
    8.1
    Gone Girl

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jim Gallien, the Alaskan who gave Chris the rubber boots in the opening scene, plays himself.
    • Goofs
      At one point, Chris burns his Social Security card, just like he burned paper money previously.

      In real life, Chris didn't burn his Social Security Card. When his sister Carine flew to Alaska to pick up his remains and some of the possessions that were found with him, she did not receive his backpack. Years later, when she returned to Alaska to finally see the bus where Chris died, she met a man who had removed Chris's backpack from the bus shortly after he had died. The man kept the backpack at his home for years, and when he finally gave it back to Carine, she found that it still contained many of Chris's possessions, including his wallet and Social Security card.
    • Quotes

      Christopher McCandless: [written into book] Happiness only real when shared.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening title is shown as part of Chris's journal's writings.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford/King of California/Good Luck Chuck/Into the Wild/Sydney White (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Hard Sun
      Written by Gordon Peterson

      Performed by Eddie Vedder & Corin Tucker

      Courtesy of Monkeywrench, Inc./J Records

    User reviews1.1K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    TIFF07, review 3: Facing the blind deaf stone alone…Into the Wild
    Sean Penn's new movie Into the Wild arrives on the wave of a well-regarded novel about a college graduate who decides that the anger and violence in civilized society is too much to handle and commences a journey through nature in order to truly live life as it was meant to be. This film is a wonderful glimpse into the life of a kid, wise beyond his years, and the bonds that he creates with people along the way. A victim of excess in wealth and a shortage of love, Christopher McCandless hid inside his mind behind knowledge and philosophy, building up his intellectual strength, as well as the physical, in order to complete his trek, ultimately leading him to Alaska. Penn never falls into the trap of showing too much heartbreak on the side of McCandless's parents, because he doesn't want the audience to second-guess the decision he made. There is no debate to be had here, our protagonist has no alternative but to get out and live off the land. Only being completely self-sufficient can he grasp a meaning for his life and one day perhaps go back with that knowledge fully learned.

    Emile Hirsch is absolutely brilliant with his good-natured attitude and affable charm. His character believes that human contact is not necessary for happiness and never seeks out relationships. However, his character is so likable that they find him and latch on, not to change his mind, but to experience his level of being and hopefully learn something from him and help enlarge his vocabulary on life. The people he meets help him to fully grasp the decision of life in the wild and be able to survive it. Never coming off condescendingly to those he crosses paths with, Hirsch always holds a smile on his face. One scene, where he meets up with a couple of people from Europe, proves how contagious a clear outlook on life without the troubles of societal restraints can be. These three kids have a blast, if only for a few minutes—with Hirsch being chased by the police for rafting with no license—and it makes one wonder if maybe we all should take a journey into nature and feel the freedom and full warmth of heart that a lack of stress to succeed in the business world can give.

    All the supporting players are magnificent at helping show the side to McCandless that Penn needs on display to succeed. Hal Holbrook, Brian Dierker, and Catherine Keener are by far the best of these side characters with Vince Vaughn and Kirsten Stewart adding some charm too. Dierker, Keener, and Stewart play hippie, flower-child type roles and allow Hirsch to show off how modest and unselfish he is. This is the family he deserved to have from birth and he is the son they wished their lives had earned them. At their best, all four together give some of the most emotionally charged moments in the film. Holbrook, on-the-other-hand, helps give insight into the philosophy that Hirsch needs to live with in order to survive the loneliness, looking him in the face, to come in Alaska. It is truly fascinating to see how every person adds something to his overall experience and to the tools he needs.

    Hirsch deserves a lot of credit because he truly outshines the film itself with his dedication and sacrifice to the role. The length of time needed to allow him the ability to lose the weight necessary for a main plot point in the movie is crazy. If the time wasn't that long and Hirsch did it all rapidly, I'm even more impressed. With all that, there are many instances free of dialogue that he needs to carry with body language and actions alone. True, much of this is enhanced by a wonderful soundtrack from Eddie Vedder, but evenso it is a remarkable performance. Kudos to Sean Penn for a gorgeous filming job also. He captures the countryside with grace, while infusing many moments of visual style by slow-motioning glimpses, knowing when to show the family left behind, utilizing informative and essential voice-over, and even breaking the fourth wall. When Hirsch first looks into the camera, at the audience, it does not seem unnatural in the slightest, but instead an amazing link for the viewers to take a look into his soul like those that crossed his path have. McCandless is so pure that it almost feels like glimpsing the calm protectiveness of God.
    helpful•444
    161
    • jaredmobarak
    • Sep 16, 2007

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ4

    • Is 'Into the Wild' based on a book?
    • How closely does the movie follow the book?
    • When is the film set?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 19, 2007 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Danish
    • Also known as
      • Về Với Thiên Nhiên
    • Filming locations
      • Astoria, Oregon, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Vantage
      • Art Linson Productions
      • Into the Wild
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $18,354,356
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $212,440
      • Sep 23, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $56,675,895
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.