Leighton Meester, Adam Brody and Taran Killam star in The River Wild, now on Netflix, a 2023 reimagining of the 1994 thriller starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. Though the films have similar bones, the contemporary remake follows siblings Joey (Meester) and Gray Reese (Killam), who go whitewater rafting together to reconnect. But when Gray’s childhood friend Trevor (Brody) unexpectedly joins them, their trip takes a deadly turn.
This may just be a standard, run-of-the-mill thriller that many will be tuning into just for the cast — and the Single Parents reunion we’ve all been waiting for — but viewers may find themselves pleasantly surprised (if a little frustrated) by their successful performances.
The Gist: The River Wild starts off on an almost awkward note when we’re first introduced to our distant, withholding protagonist, Joey, as she drives the Idaho woods to meet her older brother at Kootenai River Adventures, the whitewater rafting spot where Gray works.
There, the siblings catch up, and all seems to be going well: they’re happy to see each other and they’re cracking jokes with the two tourists who will be joining their rafting trip. But Joey’s good mood dissipates when Gray reveals his childhood friend Trevor will be tagging along specifically because he heard Joey was going to be there. She practically freezes in terror upon seeing him, which her brother somehow fails to even notice. This is when we meet Trevor; Brody is transformed into the felon with the help of an awkward smattering of tattoos on his arms and forehead. It’s immediately evident that Trevor and Joey have some kind of history together, though the nature of that doesn’t get revealed until the third act in an especially moving scene starring Meester.
But all seems well as the group sets out deep in the Idaho woods for some whitewater rafting and cliff diving. As they set up camp in an area where they have no service and soon bond over a couple of drinks, the night takes an unexpected turn as the group finds themselves facing an even bigger threat, even more out of control than the currents they’re battling in the water.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: It reminds me of the spate of nature-related thrillers released in the late ’90s and early 2000s, like Vertical Limit, soon after the original River Wild came out.
Performance Worth Watching: Killam delivers a surprisingly grounded performance in The River Wild, imbuing a sense of kindness and sobriety into his character that feels very natural. His strong chemistry with Meester and Brody, whom he is friends with in real-life, will spark a few laughs even when it’s not appropriate. While many might be tuning in to see Meester and Brody in more dramatic roles, it’s Killam’s performance that’s worth keeping an eye on.
Memorable Dialogue: There’s a point when Gray warns Trevor, telling him exactly what the audience is beginning to think: “You’re making it so much worse!”
Sex and Skin: There is none, except for a few flirtatious moments in the first act that ultimately go nowhere. You know, because of all the murder.
Our Take: The River Wild is an entertaining watch that will manage to surprise you, even though many viewers will tune in thinking they know exactly what’s going to happen. These characters have real history that they carry with them into the woods, and it all comes back to bite them in the ass. But the script has its pitfalls that are typical for low budget thrillers like this. There are multiple lines of dialogue that feel so corny and out of character it may even remove you from the action. And certain scenes in the third act will have you yelling at the screen as you watch the characters struggle to take back control of the situation, seemingly to no avail.
One of the most interesting performances to watch is Brody’s. But this isn’t his first time playing the villain. He played a demon-worshipping rockstar in Jennifer’s Body, in which he used his natural levity to his advantage. But in The River Wild, Brody abandons that lightheartedness we’ve long associated with him and instead leans into Trevor’s frenetic energy. Trevor becomes a believable villain when you realize he’s acting more out of desperation and less out of bloodthirst. And that might almost be enough for viewers to look past the nerdy voice that will inevitably take you back to The OC.
However, it is an interesting opportunity to see three actors with great chemistry working together, whether they’re joking around or fighting. Even serious moments will illicit a few laughs because they’re such naturally gifted comedic actors. But Brody and Meester, who are married in real life, manage to evoke real tension in each of their interactions on-screen. The River Wild might not be Oscar-worthy, but it’s a great opportunity to check out these comedic actors stretch their acting abilities. However, longtime fans might prefer that they try and get Single Parents rebooted before they attempt another B-list thriller.
But all three actors deserve better. River Wild left me satisfied because of their performances, but also left me hoping these three actors will one day find the projects that will truly let them shine.
Our Call: SKIP IT. The River Wild is perfect for when you’re looking for an easy watch, but otherwise, you’re not missing much. You might be better off streaming the original.
