Into The Wild (2007/Paramount Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: C+     Film: C+

 

 

Since its original release, my opinion of Sean Penn’s version of Jon Krakauer’s Into The Wild (2007) has not changed.  I still think it is overrated despite a good performance by Emile Hirsch, whose career has sadly been in a tailspin since Speed Racer (2008) turned out to be such a disaster.  Here is the text of my original DVD review:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6793/Into+The+Wild+(2007/Paramount

 

 

The only good thing that has changed since the film’s release is that the outrage over Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder’s songs being snubbed by the Oscar group has forced them to change the nominations.  No more will three songs come from one film, and who is talking about any of the three songs from Disney’s hit Enchanted?  Good move Academy!

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 image is slightly improved from the DVD, but not by much since this is styled downward and lacks detail as a result, as if they makers wanted it to look like older film stick.  This does not always work.  The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix is a little warmer than the DVD’s Dolby Digital 5.1, also included here, but this is still too dialogue-based and the soundmix favors the front speakers.  Extras are exactly the same as the DVD set.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo