The River Wild (1994)

Tom Hartman (David Strathairn) cancels on his son birthday once again. Gail (Meryl Streep) takes the kids on the trip by herself. Gail is sure that their marriage is over. She's a former river guide, and takes her son Roarke rafting down to their family home. They meet Wade (Kevin Bacon), and his friend Terry (John C. Reilly) at the river. Then Tom surprises everyone by coming.It would be better if the guys weren't such obvious villains. It could be a better surprise. And the reveal could be done earlier. With the obvious twist coming, the tension isn't really there. It just doesn't have enough intrigue. It is always a matter of tones, and how obvious the clues should be. It would be much better to concentrate on the flirting instead. The biggest problem is that it makes Gail look stupid especially with all her giggling. It is however interesting to see Streep take on something physical and really stretch into unknown territory.

Gail (Meryl Streep), brings her workaholic husband Tom (David Strathairn) and son Roarke along on a white river rafting trip for a bit of family bonding and partially to salvage what's left of her declining marriage.The family vacation turns awry however, when they stumble across two mysterious strangers (Kevin Bacon & John C Reilly) who are in need of help as, so they claim, they are stuck in the middle of nowhere and need Gail to help them get out. Gail previously having worked as a guide on the river agrees. This is their story which differs somewhat to the actual truth as to what they are up to and soon husband Tom gets suspicious of the pair, as well he might! What follows is a roller-coaster ride of thrills, splashes, action and tension which successfully make this 90's action thriller a force to be reckoned with. It manages to keep the audience entertained and enthralled as Streep goes head to head with the two villains and of course the gushing river that cuts through the movie. The River Wild does what it says on the tin, all the while refraining from hiding behind any CGI effects, instead just using good old fashioned stunt work and great acting.Directed by Curtis Hanson who had previously directed 'The Hand That Rocked The Cradle', he uses his previous skill in pumping up the tension successfully and there are some great moments that make you wonder what is going to happen next.Meryl Streep is great as usual and plays the strong, level-headed female lead well, yet still with an air of vulnerability at the same time. Kevin Bacon is an excellent primary antagonist as Wade, along with his dumb partner in crime Terry. It's actually fun to watch as he uses his superficial charm to gain the trust of Gail and her family and then switching to a malevolent bad guy as soon as his motives are exposed. The scenes between Streep and Bacon are tense and dark which increases the pace even further.There are strong supporting characters too, including David Strathairn's serious yet underestimated husband role. Joseph Mazzello, from Jurassic Park fame, is Gail's son who puts in a good performance here. Benjamin Bratt also makes a small appearance as a guide on the river. John C Reilly appears in an early career role and has since had stronger roles in film.I have rated this film highly as it kept me entertained throughout. This is mainly due to the acting and direction which keep the pace going at break neck speed.Good old 90's action thriller.

For a conventional Hollywood adventure story, THE RIVER WILD isn't bad at all. While it lacks the rawness of similarly-themed independent fare and the kind of twists and surprises you'd expect from the best this genre has to offer, it tells the story it sets out to tell with a large amount of success, mainly thanks to the lean script and no-nonsense pacing. Much of the action comes from a series of spectacular white-water rafting sequences in which the stunt team are really put through their paces. These mark the film's highlight. The human plot, involving a couple of hostage-takers, is less spectacular, but the film still gets by thanks to the calibre of the cast.Meryl Streep, although a little too earnest in some places for my liking, takes plaudits as the outdoors expert who has to use her wits to survive both nature and the evils of mankind. Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly are fine as the no-good criminals, and Benjamin Bratt bags a nice little role as a good-guy ranger. Youngster Joe Mazzello is a more mature presence than in the previous year's JURASSIC PARK, and David Straithairn (THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM) gets to have some fun as the straight-laced father forced into becoming a hero. Okay, so you know the outcome from the outset (and in a 12-certificate family adventure nothing THAT bad is ever going to happen), but this is nonetheless a mildly entertaining little movie.

Meryl Streep gets a totally different kind of role in "The River Wild". She and her husband (David Strathairn) and son (Joseph Mazzello, of "Jurassic Park") go on a rafting trip and encounter some guys (Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly) who turn out to be not what they seem.The obvious similarity is "Deliverance", but I also detected a similarity to "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle", the way that Kevin Bacon's character turns the boy against the mother. I once did a boat trip down the Snake River, and some of the rapids here look like what I remember (although the movie may have exaggerated the rapids).Overall, it's a pretty fun movie. A real jolt of nature, if I may say so. Also starring Benjamin Bratt. Director Curtis Hanson also directed "L.A. Confidential", "Wonder Boys" and "8 Mile".