Both the film and the novel do a beautiful job at telling Chris McCandless's story and capturing his true spirit. I can honestly say I enjoyed both renditions of the story; however what the film was able to do that the novel could not was to literally show Chris's experiences almost through his eyes. The viewer was able to actually see what Chris saw, from the mountains to the rivers. You were able to see and encounter what Chris did, whereas the novel allows for the imagination to "fill in the blanks".
I really felt a sense of Chris's raw self through the film. The look in Emile Hirsch’s eyes and his complete dedication to embody and be Chris McCandless really help to create that emotional bond between his and our world. What the film includes is the little "in between" shots of Chris doing such mundane things like brushing his teeth or reading London and Tolstoy. The film solely focuses on Chris's journey and the novel, although primarily following Chris, deviated quite often and told the stories of others.
The film and the novel do an amazing job at retelling and recreating Chris’s journey of self-discovery. Although they go about telling it in slightly different ways, in the end the viewer or reader is able to come away with a true sense and better understanding of Chris.
Happy Trails.
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