Addendum:  Here's another perspective, probably a more realistic one, lifted from Wikipedia on Chris. 

Some Alaskans have negative views of both McCandless and those who romanticize his fate. McCandless was unaware that a hand-operated tram crossed the river a quarter mile from the Stampede Trail, while a nearby shelter was stocked with emergency supplies, as described in Krakauer's book. Alaskan Park Ranger Peter Christian wrote: "I am exposed continually to what I will call the 'McCandless Phenomenon.' People, nearly always young men, come to Alaska to challenge themselves against an unforgiving wilderness landscape where convenience of access and possibility of rescue are practically nonexistent ... When you consider McCandless from my perspective, you quickly see that what he did wasn’t even particularly daring, just stupid, tragic, and inconsiderate. First off, he spent very little time learning how to actually live in the wild. He arrived at the Stampede Trail without even a map of the area. If he had a good map he could have walked out of his predicament ... Essentially, Chris McCandless committed suicide."^[10]

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^{That's actually the impression I had from reading the book, too.  I knew a lot of kids like McCandless when I went through college in the early nineties.  Rootless, questioning sure, but they also tended to be arrogant, and close minded . . . sort the liberal flip side of the college Republicans.  Ultimately, I'm a bit surprised that McCandless couldn't reconcile himself to his place (or any place) in the world as it exists.  Maybe he would have had he made it back out of  Alaska.  The story, perhaps because it can be seen from either viewpoint of McCandless as hero or as fool, was a great read.  I hope to see the movie soon.  I kind of hope that Penn hasn't romanticized McCandless too much.  But even if so, I'm pretty sure he will have the skill to make this a gripping film.}