I read the book a long time ago, long enough that seeing the film was fresh and new. I walked out of the theater feeling really good. I like Sean Penn’s films, and I liked this one. I sort of wanted my family to see it, so they’d have half an inkling of why I cringe at the glass bubbles they live under and why I do some of the things I do that they consider reckless.
The film vs. the book gives two different treatments. Krackauer is skeptical, and he does question whether McCandless was naïve and reckless. He does recognize something in himself in himself, though, and paints a very human picture much like Caravagio did in paintings. Penn pretty much glorifies the Alexander Supertramp character as confident and self assured the whole way. Word was Leonardo was considered for the role. I’m glad he didn’t, but the effect was the same. Read the book.