The River Wild

REVIEW
Streep goes the Sigourney Weaver route and tackles the action adventure movie with often rip-roaring results. Streep, husband Strathairn and young son Mazzello go on a white water rafting vacation. Unbeknowst to any of them, neighboring rafter Bacon and his companions are actually escaped criminals on a getaway. And when the latter's guide "unexplainedly" vanishes, Streep and family are ultimately terrorized into helping with their escape. Though the plot is barely seaworthy, director Hanson keeps the film afloat with hair-raising action scenes, most of which have Streep doing her own stunts. Her performance propels the film, making it easy to gloss over any inconsistencies. Bacon makes a most effective heavy.