The River Wild
Originally Written: October 2001
In the wake of September 11, one of the questions being asked among Hollywood types and film fans is what will happen to the mindless action movies that have been so popular- the “Under Sieges,” the “True Lies,” the Schwarzenegger and Van Damme starrers that rock the box-office. Well, right now the answer is to shy away from them (the indefinite delay of “Collateral Damage,” with Ah-nuld, for example), but what about in a few years? Will they continue to proliferate and be as popular as they were?
My guess is yes, but not without an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the sorts of acts depicted (no more quippy, ironic heroes a la Martin Riggs or John McClain). However, my hope is that they don’t completely give themselves back to mindless action, for the simple reason that I hope filmmakers decide that ballistics and F/X will take a back seat to character and suspense. “The Fugitive,” “The French Connection,” “Speed”- these films worked thanks to a deft blend of intelligence, suspense, character, and action by filmmakers who were more interested in storytelling than creating the biggest and most explosive action the screen’s ever seen.
“The River Wild” is a fantastic example of this. It didn’t cost a fortune ($45 million) and didn’t make much either ($46 million), but it’s a frightening thriller- vivid, smart, and realistic in plot, and character without going overboard with implausibility with some striking and exciting action sequences. Written by Denis O’Neil, and directed with brilliant tension and craft by Curtis Hanson, “The River Wild”- though not big on imagination and originality- is a nightmare that isn’t far from reality.
The story begins with a bit of family tension, as Gail (Meryl Streep)- a teacher and experienced whitewater guide- is getting ready for a whitewater rafting trip with her son Roarke (“Jurassic Park’s” Joseph Mazzello) and husband Tom (David Strathairn from “L.A. Confidential”), when Tom has to back out thanks to work. It’s obvious this is a common occurrence, and one Roarke and Gail- who’s sensed a distancing between her and Tom for some time- are sick of. However, Tom finds a way to do both- he brings his work with him. Not the ideal situation, but it works for Gail. Before hitting the river, however, Roarke and Gail meet Wade (Kevin Bacon), a self-proclaimed ski-bum who along with Terry (the consistently reliable John C. Reilly from “Days of Thunder”) and a third person are headed down the river too. This start out promising, only to turn more and more nightmarish when it’s learned Wade and Terry are on the lam after a robbery. They take the family hostage, and force Gail to take them past the takeout point in their escape, using Roarke and Tom as collateral.
Admittedly, it isn’t the most complicated story, but it works better than most, thanks to Hanson’s skill and intelligence as a storyteller (his pre-“River” creds include the underrated “The Bedroom Window” and the hit “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”; his post-“River” films are 1997’s stunning “L.A. Confidential” and 2000’s terrific “Wonder Boys”) and the cut-above cast. Straithairn is equally gifted at giving us a glimpse at not only Tom’s isolation from Roarke and friction with Gail, but also his beguiling strength and desire to make amends when push comes to shove, while hitting poignant grace notes with Streep as Tom and Gail try to rekindle their love for one another.
Roarke could have easily been another in a long line of bratty movie children, very much along the lines of the annoying tyke in this summer’s “The Mummy Returns.” Thank God for Mazzello, who later starred- and gave a fantastic performance- in the wretchedly sappy “Simon Birch,” and was up for consideration for the Haley Joel Osment role in “A.I.” in it’s Kubrick years. He nixes cliches by bringing the right blend of youthful defiance and sarcasm and frightened child. It’s a balancing act that compliments the older performer’s turns flawlessly.
Bacon- always a sharp chameleon able to swing the fences (“A Few Good Men,” “Wild Things”)- is a more-than-convincing villain as Wade, blending charisma and danger with a pro’s skill that makes this a true battle of wits between Wade and Gail, which leads me to Streep. The two-time Oscar winner (who’s been nominated plenty other times) may appear to be slumming in B-movie escapism, but I would argue her performance here is on par with any other she’s given in her career. Asked to flesh out what could have been an easy stereotype, Streep makes Gail’s problems- domestically and on the river- palpable and believable, eschewing glamour either way to show Gail as beleaguered wife and mother and kickass action heroine (think Linda Hamilton in “Terminator 2” or Sigourney Weaver in “Aliens.” However, Meryl doesn’t forget to have fun and infuse a bit of humor in her character, and she’s obviously having the time of her life on the river playing this tough, appealing action heroine. She’s a winner in an unconventional action hero role that I for one would like to see more of in the coming century, and I don’t think I’m alone in this.
I’d also like to see more action thrillers with the clarity and visual sophistication of “The River Wild.” The rafting action in the film- shot in Oregon and Montana- is filmed with a vivid sense of what it feels like to do whitewater in real life. As someone who’s gone down a few rivers in my time- Hanson and co. nail it. The cinematography- fantastic work by Robert Elswitt- captures the beauty and danger of the river. Looking at “The River Wild” makes the water-bound action of “Speed 2” look lame and tension-free (not that it wasn’t to begin with); here, you get the feeling that if Wade and Terry don’t kill Gail and family, the river will if she can’t get them through. Meanwhile, Hanson and his editors- Joe Hutshing and David Brenner- edit the action with a visual logic and steadiness almost unheard of in modern action films; this isn’t the chopped-up fake kineticism of “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “Tomb Raider.” “The River Wild” is from the old-school form of editing from “Lethal Weapon” and “The French Connection” that doesn’t produce migraines in the viewer, and as such is more about storytelling than sound and fury.
Add to all of this a gripping and suspenseful score by Jerry Goldsmith, and you’ve got a minor classic in the genre that isn’t likely to age as poorly as some action films that made twice- or three times- “The River Wild’s” box-office. Formula plot aside, you’ve never seen anything like it- or Meryl Streep- in action before or since. Though hardly a true-blue action masterpiece, “The River Wild:- expert cast and director in tow- is a class-act among it’s contemporary action compatriots.
