Anyone who’s read Jon Krakauer’s best-selling nonfiction account knows the details, but actually seeing McCandless’s travels is still thrilling. Yet... are we ­supposed to salute this foray into the wild or shake our heads at the sheer ­idiocy?

Even Penn's more indulgent flourishes seem to enhance the film's keen feeling.

Penn's main idea about going native is making eye contact with a deer.

This is perhaps the best performance of Emile Hirsch’s career and he does a really great job of bringing this character to life.