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The River Wild

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  • Trailer

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Producer:

David Foster, Raymond Hartwick, Ilona Herzberg

Writer:

Denis O'Neill

Runtime:

1hr 51m

Synopsis

Rafting expert Gail takes on a pair of armed killers while navigating a spectacularly violent river.

Cast

  • Meryl Streep
  • Joseph Mazzello
  • Stephanie Sawyer
  • David Strathairn
  • Elizabeth Hoffman
  • Victor Galloway
  • Diane Delano
  • Thomas F. Duffy
  • Kevin Bacon
  • John C. Reilly

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.3
59.8K
10.1K
9.6K
RATINGS 73 FANS
3.3
  • Mar 31, 2019

    very few people have ever been as beautiful as meryl in this movie

    471 Likes
    sydney
    sydney
    Mar 17, 2022

    A movie thrilling

    267 Likes
    Adam Nayman
    Adam Nayman
    Feb 6, 2016

    Has no trouble slotting into my general theory that going outside in the first place is inadvisable, but if I'm going river rafting at all it's sure as hell going to be with Meryl Streep. Discussed on Episode 9 of The Suspense is Killing Us.

    211 Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
  •
    Jun 24, 2021

    ridiculous that Meryl was nominated for an Oscar twenty one times and one of them wasn’t for her total boss performance here

    181 Likes
    Justin LaLiberty
    Justin LaLiberty
    Nov 18, 2020

    Minus some points for not being titled "Wade in the Water" (Kevin Bacon's character's name is Wade).

    173 Likes
    laird
    laird
    Jan 22, 2017

    THE DOG WAS LIKE THIRD BILLED IN THE CREDITS!!! SHE WAS PLAYED BY A LAB CALLED BUFFY, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING!!!!!

    171 Likes
    barb3
    barb3
  •
    Jul 8, 2024

    The story of a cucked loser who gets his mojo back with the help of his dog.

    145 Likes
    Chris Evangelista
    Chris Evangelista
    Feb 25, 2022

    My god, Meryl looked absolutely stunning in this. So natural. What another great role for her. Kevin Bacon was also perfect. The movie is superb. Gorgeous scenery. Full of tension. Those rafting scenes had me on the edge of my seat. So frightening. I also loved how the song…

    142 Likes
    Kylo
    Kylo
    Feb 24, 2019

    The scene where David Strathairn gets the dog to jump in the river is pure cinema.

    127 Likes
    Elena Lazic
    Elena Lazic
See All Reviews on Letterboxd.com

Queue Community Reviews

93%
Community 427
❤️ LOVE
23%
👍 LIKE
70%
😐 MEH
5%
👎 DISLIKE
2%
Top Reviews
  • Nick Dubberly
    Nick Dubberly liked
    The River Wild

    I knew absolutely nothing about this film, but I’ve been wanting to watch it for the longest time! I got a notification that it was leaving Netflix soon, so I figured what better time than now to finally give it a watch. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised!

    1Y
    Jen
    Jen liked
    The River Wild

    Great movie. Different story from the remake so it was fun to watch it again. Makes me want to go whitewater rafting again!

    1Y
    Marny
    Marny liked
    The River Wild

    “I don’t think you know me well enough to determine if I’m being anxious or efficient” puuuuurrrrrrr

    1Y
  • GiuLazze
    GiuLazze liked
    The River Wild

    Meryl Streep plays a strong and courageous woman, she is perfect for this role 🛶

    10M
    Brandon Schilling
    Brandon Schilling liked
    The River Wild

    Like many sandwiches, this film is noticeably improved by adding bacon

    1Y
    Meg
    Meg liked
    The River Wild

    I hate Kevin Bacon as a bad guy but this movie is really good

    4M
  • Chelsey Morrison
    Chelsey Morrison liked
    The River Wild

    A little long, but consistently intense and entertaining.

    1Y
    WSS
    WSS loved
    The River Wild

    Definitely suspenseful with a good ending.

    1Y
    Becky
    Becky is "meh" on
    The River Wild

    Liked the water parts

    1Y
View More Popular The River Wild Reviews on Queue

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

63
metacritic
Based on 32 Critics
7.0

USER SCORE (7)

Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Reviews
50

The River Wild is one of the movies you want to play along with, you really do, but it gets so many details subtly wrong that finally you lose patience and turn on it.

View full review
Metacritic review by Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
75

As thrillers go, The River Wild is a cut below a white-knuckler, but it still has its share of spills and chills.

View full review
Metacritic review by James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The River Wild family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as PG-13, meaning that some material may be considered inappropriate for children under 13.
How long is The River Wild?
The movie is 1hr 51min long.
What's The River Wild about?
Rafting expert Gail takes on a pair of armed killers while navigating a spectacularly violent river.
Who's the cast of The River Wild?
  • Meryl Streep as Gail Hartman
  • Joseph Mazzello as Roarke Hartman
  • Stephanie Sawyer as Willa Hartman
  • David Strathairn as Tom Hartman
  • Elizabeth Hoffman as Gail's Mother
  • Victor Galloway as Gail's Father
  • Diane Delano as Ranger
  • Thomas F. Duffy as Ranger
  • Kevin Bacon as Wade
  • John C. Reilly as Terry
Who's the director behind The River Wild?
Curtis Hanson directed The River Wild.
Who produced The River Wild?
David Foster, Raymond Hartwick and Ilona Herzberg produced The River Wild.