1994’s The River Wild saw Meryl Streep and David Strathairn swept away in a raging whitewater rafting nightmare at the gunpoint of a villainous Kevin Bacon. The film was a hit for the time, earning a pair of Golden Globes nominations and a measure of cult status due to the cast, which also included John C. Reilly. In short, any attempt to remake it has some tough waters to paddle against, but the new film River Wild gives it a go with a cast led by Adam Brody, Leighton Meester, and Taran Killam.
A reimagining of the original movie, River Wild stars Meester and Killam as siblings who go on a whitewater rafting trip with a couple of tourists and their troubled childhood friend, played by Brody. When the trip goes sideways and the group finds itself fighting against turbulent rapids, they begin to realize that someone is sabotaging their journey.
The film is directed and co-written by Ben Katai, known for directing 30 Days of Night: Dark Days and for scripting Malevolent, The Strangers: Prey at Night, and The Forest. In short, this guy does scary.
Here’s the synopsis: Joey (Leighton Meester) fears there could be trouble ahead after her brother Gray (Taran Killam) invites Trevor (Adam Brody), a childhood friend with a troubled past, on their whitewater rafting adventure with two tourists. Once they become stranded in raging rapids, the thrill-seeking trip quickly turns from exciting to utterly terrifying as the rafters are trapped in a desperate fight for their lives, all while someone seems intent on sabotage to ensure shocking secrets stay buried. To survive the wild river, Joey will have to face her fears, and everyone will have to develop killer instincts before they’re torn apart by deception aboard the raft, or by deadly waters wreaking havoc all around them.
River Wild will be released on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital on August 1st.
