White Water Summer (1987)

This is a response to the reviewers questioning Vick's motives. As a city boy who loves the outdoors, I totally understood where Kevin Bacon's character was coming from, though, he was clearly a nut-job for the most part. In my experience, city boys (i.e. Sean Astin's character) cannot find value in the wilderness for the life of them, and obtaining a cellphone signal is their top priority at all times. This movie is about taking a break from our technology-infused world and getting back to the basics. The wilderness is a wonderful, rugged place that can really broaden anyone's perspective on life. It's about facing fears head-on and living to tell about it -- those are the experiences that you remember in life. I wish everyone would share these sentiments, as Vick probably does in this movie. But Vick's major fault is failing to realize that people cannot be forced to enjoy something that's unfamiliar and frightening to them. He feels he can get through to them but uses some extreme means and acts like a huge ass in the process.

OK, I have to admit this movie was like meeting someone that gives you a good first impression... but you later realize they are a lying sociopath. I give it a 4 for the acting. Speaking of sociopaths... was that Kevin's motivation for being cruel? If not, I have no idea what was. This guy barely knows these kids, but is so interested in "teaching them a lesson" that he constantly endangers their lives to do it. What was the lesson by the way? You're lucky for being alive? Did it bother anyone else that Sean Astin's character is not only left to hang off a cliff by Kevin but also by all of his so-called friends, one of whom makes a lame attempt to go back and retrieve him but is easily thwarted by the Baconmeister. With friends like that...If you want a good "in the woods with dangerous guy" movie, I recommend SHOOT TO KILL with Sidney Poitier, Kirsti Alley and Tom Berenger.

Before Kevin Bacon tackled the wilderness' harsh rivers in "The River Wild (1994)', he played Vic a spiritually in touch hiking guide who takes some city boys in to the mountainous wilds to learn more about themselves and to push the best out them. But his methods come under the eyes of the boys, with his constant testing of the young, inexperienced lad Alan. But soon enough we find the tables are eventually turned around on just who relies on each other.'White Water Summer' is a respectably bold and hearty, if unspectacular presentation that Ernest Kinoy and Manya Starr's actively mediative and theme-grown material feels unsure to what it truly wants to be, as it treads between feel-good adventure, psycho-territory and being morally hounded in finding the mental toughness to go beyond your limitations and fears. Jeff Bleckner's direction is well-measured and slickly handled, as the standouts range from the excellent white water rafting scenes and rock climbing views. The harrowing tension within these passages seem to bubble, but Bleckner also gets a great bunch of performances, especially from his young confident cast (Sean Astin, Jonathan Ward, K.C. Martel and Matt Adler) who show binding chemistry. That when a change in Bacon's character begins to show, the suspense and dangerous air kicks in the adrenaline as the boys begin to feel the circumstances change. Astin is impressive as Alan, as he goes head on with stupendously hard-pressed Kevin Bacon. His way is the right ways… don't question it. As he goes on to test them out individually and as a team to become dependant on one and each other. But does it become beyond breaking point to get these results.What I could have done without was the flash-forward smart-mouth laced narration pockets of an older Sean Astin talking to the screen, while cutting between the central story. They somewhat lessen the impact and became off-putting. Even the soundtrack with its squealing rock tunes became a little overbearing, as it regularly pumped it out. Michael Boddicker's soothing original score does a better job in camouflaging with its surroundings and activities. John Alcott's striking cinematography naturally hovers over the beautiful backdrop getting amongst organic growth and swirling waters to isolate the viewers along with the small party.

Adventure guide Kevin Bacon takes four youngsters (Sean Astin, K.C. Martel, Matt Adler, Jonathan Ward) out to the would-be great outdoors to teach the adolescents about life and nature. Naturally conflict arises among the four and soon the group turns their anger to Bacon. Astin, ending up being the leader of the group, must grow up in spite of his want to stay a child. "White Water Summer" is more like a music video than an actual theatrical movie. The film only runs about 90 minutes and has several long musical interludes during the dead-time. Unfortunately there is a lot of dead-time here. 2 stars out of 5.