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The River Wild

1994 DVD Certificate 12.gif
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 3486 members

Gail (Meryl Streep), a former river guide, plans a white-water rafting trip to celebrate her son Roarke's (Joseph Mazzello) birthday and patch up her troubled marriage to her workaholic husband Tom (David Strathairn). As the family begins their river adventure, they meet Wade (Kevin Bacon), a novice rafter with a magnetic .. Read more

Starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, Joseph Mazzello
Director Curtis Hanson
Run time 106 mins
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

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  • Critics' reviews (6) of The River Wild

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    In this excellent thriller, Meryl Streep takes her family white-water rafting to try to revive their disintegrating relationships. But what promises to be an enjoyable break soon turns into a nightmare when armed robbers Kevin Bacon and John C Reilly hitch a ride on their raft with $250,000 of stolen loot. Directed by Curtis Hanson, this is a terrific roller-coaster ride filled with hair-raising action scenes and some equally tense moments on the river bank. In a dramatic break from her usual roles, Streep is utterly convincing as the strong-willed wife and mother, taking charge as husband David Strathairn wimps out, and struggling to keep her head above water as the sinister Bacon and the wounded Reilly become distinctly unpleasant. Streep performed many of her own stunts (at one point she was thrown overboard and resurfaced 500 yards downstream where she was rescued by a kayak crew) and put in a lot of training for the role. Her muscles are as pumped-up as the plot, which is little more than a thrill machine, with added nuggets of political correctness about the family unit and sexual equality, but the incredible action and Streep's performance more than compensate for any shortcomings.

    • Radio Times
  • This tense family-therapy thriller doesn't produce any surprises, but sometimes, perhaps, it's enough just to go along... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of The River Wild

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  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    River Wild

    Stunning scenery and a well presented if not very original story line. What sets River wild apart from other similar thrillers is the interaction between a very convincing Meryl Streep and one of hollywoods best bad guys, Kevin Bacon. Gail (streep), an expert at white water rafting, takes her husband & son on a trip down the river. On the way they meet two men who turn this family trip into a nightmare. This is not a film where you will sympathise with the baddies, long before the end you will want Wade (Bacon) to get his come uppance.

      • A customer from Oxfordshire
  • Most recent members' review of The River Wild

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    A white knuckle river ride!!!!

    Nicely made film, not the 1st time ive seen it but gets better each time. Kevin Bacon a god of an actor doesnt let himself down here, while Meryl Streep pushes the boat out too in this well made action/thriller. Strap your life jacket on, slip on your arm bands and enjoy this river wild of a film, recommended.

      • C from Grimsby, England
  • News and features

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    Little Children

    Lucky You

    • 19 Jun 2007

    Remember Swingers? 'You're money, baby!' Well Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) is so not money, he's flat broke. And that may as well stand for Lucky You, too. Curtis Hanson's film has been sitting on the shelf for some time now, and was finally released in the US the same week as Spider-man 3 (not even the incredible hulk would relish that fight). Not surprisingly it bombed. Although he's a chronic gambler and a card sharp, Huck only cares about money in so much as it buys him a seat at the table.... Read more

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3,486 Member ratings
  • 100
179
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663
  • 60
952
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457
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284
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80
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45

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