Hang on tight for a suspense-filled action-thriller starring Oscar-winner Meryl Streep in a stunning performance that will take your breath away! Streep portrays a former river guide who arranges a white-water rafting trip... more » to celebrate her son's birthday and salvage her shaky marriage. Her skills and courage are soon put to the test when three mysterious strangers threaten to turn their vacation into a living hell. Also starring Kevin Bacon and David Strathairn, this "pulse-pounding thrill ride" (Rolling Stone Magazine) explodes with action, suspense and unforgettable storytelling from the director of L.A. Confidential.« less
Russ B. (Happyfeet) from BENSALEM, PA Reviewed on 3/24/2021...
Gave DVD to friend as present. She canoes.
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Michel D. (michelann) from WALNUT GROVE, MO Reviewed on 4/22/2019...
Well acted and written movie with lots of nail biting action and suspense! Kevin Bacon is so good at being bad in this role! Beautiful Montana scenery helps keep it interesting while the white water makes for some scary moments!
Kay G. from ATLANTA, GA Reviewed on 12/1/2009...
A great family/people adventure. It might be a bit scary for children under 8, as there are guns involved. The scenery alone is worth watching the movie. Meryl Streep was outstanding!
Kellie H. (khenderson) from CLAREMORE, OK Reviewed on 8/14/2009...
Love this movie! Bacon is a great "bad guy".
Movie Reviews
Oh boy
Peggy Vincent | Oakland, CA | 12/17/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kevin Bacon can so beautifully play a sadist, a charming and vicious creep, a bad guy that it's almost like he's not acting. And Meryle Streep, trying her hand here in an action film, NEVER seems to be acting - she's always stellar, completely immersed in her character. In The River Wild, Streep plays a suburban mom and former white-water rafting guide who is taking her family on a raft trip for summer vacation. She's a bit on the outs with her husband, who is, at the last minute, too busy to go along - so she and her son go it alone - and quickly run afoul of some killers on the lam. Bacon and a buddy, of course. They coerce Streep to take them down a terrifyingly dangerous stretch of river rapids to escape from the pursuing cops.
Marvelous. And Streep did all the river scenes without the use of a stunt double - which, if you've ever been white-water rafting on a Class 4 or 5 river, is utterly amazing."
One of the Greatest.
Theodore J Roth | Hudson,Fl | 12/08/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Here is an action flix that belongs is everyone's DTD DVD collection. Loaded with action, great acting on all parts, the DTS sound was awe inspiring to say the least. GET IT, YOU"LL LOVE IT!"
A Good Ride
Darren | Jersey Shore, NJ USA | 10/09/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"An entertaining journey down a beautiful whitewater river with an age old theme of good vs evil. This is a good movie to just sit back and enjoy the ride even though as the plot develops you may feel bit uncomfortable. Meryl Streep is outstanding as usual, however I feel Kevin Bacon is even better as the deceptive, yet charming 'bad guy'. There is also some excellent acting by David Straithairn (who portrays Meryl Streep's husband) even though his character is annoyingly pathetic. The nature cinematography is spectacular and the high intensity musical score only adds excitement to the journey.I highly recommend watching this one on a home theater system with wide screen and DTS sound decoding."
A trip that is worth taking
retrowens | Alabama, USA | 02/27/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
""The River Wild" was one of my favorite movies of 1994. Gail (Meryl Streep), her husband, and her son decide to take a white-water rafting trip. They already have their problems because Gail's husband pays too much attention to his job and he doesn't pay enough attention to his family. However, before they know it, they'll have more deadly problems to deal with. Gail is an experienced and knowledgeable white-water rafter, and soon she and her family meet two mysterious strangers, one of which is Wade (Kevin Bacon). Wade asks for help to get to a certain place and Gail agrees to help, but little does she know that soon she, her husband, and her son, will be fighting for their lives."The River Wild" is a better movie than a lot of critics and other reviewers have said that it is. It has exciting white-water rafting sequences, especially when Gail and the others try to live through 'The Gauntlet,' and it features a great performance by Meryl Streep. If you like exciting movies or anything to do with white-water rafting, I definitely recommend getting "The River Wild.""
White Water Rafting Thrills With Streep And Bacon
Susan K. Schoonover | Boulder, CO | 05/13/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The opening scenes of THE RIVER WILD show a very buff Meryl Streep rowing in Boston's Charles River accompanied by stirring theme music by Jerry Goldsmith. This promise of quality is fulfilled throughout the suspenseful albeit rather predictable movie after the setting switches to the western wilderness. Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon are among Hollywood's most talented and versatile actors and in this outing Streep believably plays a mom who meets extreme physical and emotional challenges (while piloting a white river raft no less) after she encounters Bacon a cunning criminal psychopath. The river scenes are beautiful and I've read that Streep actually did her own stunts for the most part. There are a couple of surprises along the way to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. A good movie for anyone but especially a family with older kids who want a little bit but not too much edge to their viewing experience."