David Strathairn, John C. Reilly, Joseph Mazzello

Meryl Streep tried her hand at action films with this Curtis Hanson film and proved herself quite credible, bringing emotion as well as the willingness to kick butt. She plays a suburban mom and forme...( read more  read more... )r white-water rafting guide who is taking her family on a raft trip for summer vacation. But overworked Dad (David Strathairn) can't make the trip, so she and her son leave without him--and walk right into trouble. Killers on the run (Kevin Bacon, John C. Reilly) abduct them and force Streep to take them down the most dangerous stretch of river to elude the cops. Hanson understands how to pace and construct this kind of action fodder, but it's strictly formula stuff, enlivened only by the depth of Streep's portrayal and the viciousness of Bacon's character. --Marshall Fine

Flixster Users

50% liked it

41,878 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

26 critics

PG-13, 112 min.

Directed by: Curtis Hanson

Release Date: September 30, 1994

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DVD Release Date: November 1, 1998

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Stats: 962 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (962)


  • September 24, 2009
    Hated it. I wanted everyone to drown.
  • March 1, 2008
    I couldn't imagine Kevin Bacon as a villain, but he played a GREAT villain in this one --
  • February 4, 2008
    I enjoyed it
  • October 7, 2007
    Meryl Streep kicks ass in this movie but it was a little too creepy for me.
  • August 5, 2007
    Wow was this boring.
  • November 24, 2009
    Este es un all-star cast, y todos estan a la altura de la situacion, pero es muy dificil opacar a Meryl en una pelicula, ella aqui da una muy buena actuacion, como siempre, que hasta se hace repetitivo, pero es cierto, aqui hay variantes de sus tipicos manerismos, yo a veces digo...( read more) que hay actores que saben leer una linea tan bien, que para poder decir que es una buena interpretacion, solo les falta memorizarla, ella no, claro que sabe dar un dialogo, pero ella se mete en el personaje, siempre esta comprometida con el y aprende lo necesario para ser el, aqui es notorio como se mete en el, aun cuando la pelicula no es excelente, ella lo es... 6.5/10.-
  • August 14, 2009
    love the girl power and awsome physicality of meryl!
  • August 2, 2009
    I wish I had spent my time white water river rafting instead of watching this movie.
  • July 28, 2009
    Kevin Bacon is just plain evil in this movie.
  • July 19, 2009
    Haha I loved this movie as a kid....Go Kevin Bacon!!!

Critic Reviews


May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

The perfect high old time for audiences in the mood to be tossed into the spin cycle for a pulse-pounding thrill ride. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Constructed from so many ideas, characters and situations recycled from other movies that all the way down the river I kept thinking: Been there. Done that. full review

View more The River Wild reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • theresarocks777
    March 23, 2007
    This is Such a Good Movie, It is True and very well done*****

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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The River Wild Trivia


  • In which movie did Meryl Streep ride " The Gauntlet" ?  Answer »
  • This actor has appeared in the following films: Chicago, Boogie Nights, Never Been Kissed, The Hours, The River Wild. Who is he?   Answer »
  • Which actor has starred in all these films: Footloose, The River Wild, Trapped, Stir of Echoes, and The Woodsman?   Answer »
  • Who Played the role of Wade in the 1994 movie "The River Wild"?  Answer »

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