MOVIE REVIEW: Redemption Hardly Scratches Right Into The Feels in WILD.

Wild is an adaptation of the memoir of Cheryl Strayed, chronicling her personal odyssey in the hopes of finding redemption and closure in the most extreme way possible. Driven to a downward spiral after the death of her mother, Cheryl started living the life that is similar to that of a wasted rock star. Having sex with just about anyone she meets, abusing her body with drugs and eventually causing the destruction of her marriage. Tired of living miserably and unable to cope with tragedy that has befallen her, Cheryl decides enough is enough and goes on a hike across the Pacific Crest Trail, one that spans more than a thousand miles. With insufficient outdoor experience and carrying a backpack that is way heavier than her, Cheryl soldiers on with just her willpower to keep her pushing forward.

Reese Witherspoon has left the shadow of her Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde days behind. She has majestically evolved in her acting as proven when she portrayed June Carter in 2005’s Walk the Line. In Wild, she continues the path towards extending her acting abilities by portraying an aggrieved woman with the strong spirit of a lion. Unfortunately, while her acting is something to be commended, she was unable to pull the emotional trigger and hit the audience right where it hurts. Simply put, there are no “The Feels” moments in this drama. For me, Witherspoon was not sympathetic enough.

At first, the movie is a little confusing, but flashbacks that have been strategically edited into the film sheds light into the reason behind Cheryl Strayed’s personal cross. But sad to say, this movie, despite all the hype it was given before its screening, was a major snore fest. There were very very little catchy phrases, almost zero action, and what was probably meant to be some poignant, gripping moments fizzled out like a dud firework. I had a hard time staying awake after going through the first twenty minutes of watching it, and it felt extremely long for a two hour move. Cheryl Strayed’s hike lasted for 3 months, and that’s exactly what I felt as I watched it. It was dragging and uninteresting.

I have to give props to the Cinematography. When the camera was placed right smack in front of Witherspoon’s face, you can clearly see in her eyes her deep immersion in her character, as her eyes convey the feeling of “What the heck have I gotten myself into” and vulnerability. Also, her cuts and bruises does not look fake at all. Literally being an outside-the-studio shoot, Director Jean Marc-Vallee chose to use a one handheld camera in certain parts, specifically the Oregon scenes, cleverly blurring the lines between staged filmmaking and reality.

Overall, Wild is a story of finding one’s self. A movie where the protagonist falls down to the deepest, darkest pits of despair, implodes and eventually finds the courage and strength to stand up and recover from it, bloody scrapes and bruises and hanging toenail and all. It’s not your typical conventional redemption story but one where it makes us think that we can’t keep regretting our mistakes forever and instead use it as fuel to better ourselves.