Aahana Swrup
‘River Wild’ is a thriller film directed by Ben Ketai that revolves around a deadly adventure through the tumultuous white water river. Estranged sibling duo Joey and Gray Reese embark on a rafting trip with two foreign customers, Van and Karissa. However, when Gray’s childhood friend and felon, Trevor, unexpectedly joins the group, it leads to some tension between the Reeses. Things take a sharp turn for the worse when Van gets fatally injured while camping, and the siblings realize that their old friend, now armed with a gun, might be more dangerous than they expected.
The adventure drama movie features a survival story filled with betrayal and mistrust, with the narrative’s emotional center exploring a taut brother-sister relationship stained by a looming dark past. Since the film only revolves around a handful of characters, the narrative develops them thoroughly and creates realistic backstories for them. Due to the same, viewers might be curious if ‘River Wild’ has any basis in reality. Let’s find out!
River Wild is a Remake of a 1994 Film
‘River Wild’ is not based on a true story. Instead, it is the remake of the eponymously named 1994 film ‘The River Wild,’ starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. The latter features a similar story about a rafting trip that turns into a hostage situation after the Hartman family runs into a couple of unfriendly rafters. Although both films pitch a similar premise and exist within a shared universe, they possess considerable separation. In that regard, they don’t have a connection to each other in plotlines or characters.
The film was announced as a story with fresh characters “that brings the universe [of ‘The River Wild’] to new audiences and fans of the original.” As such, when director Ben Ketai co-wrote the screenplay alongside writer Mike Nguyen Le, he found a way to bring a modern twist to a classic story. The prime point of distinction between ‘River Wild’ and its predecessor comes from the former’s decision to maintain a pre-existing connection between the protagonists and the antagonist. Since Trevor has been a significant part of Gray and Joey’s life, his turn to violence feels much more personal and unearths issues from the past.
By doing so, the film makes a relatable statement about how danger can come even from familiar places. Moreover, it also delves into how men often disregard female victims and their stories when they have a previous association with the aggravator. Initially, after Trevor attacks Van, she accuses him of the same. Even though Karissa and Joey readily believe her, Gray, Trevor’s best friend, ignores the claim and later pays for his negligence. Many viewers may find Van’s tragic story reflects a part of real life. Likewise, the film’s subplot revolving around Joey’s past with Trevor provides a similar reflection of reality.
According to statistics, 50% of victims who experience abuse as a child are abused by a non-family member they previously knew and trusted. Therefore, Trevor’s storyline, which forms the film’s narrative center, parallels reality in several ways. The same imbues the overall plot with more authenticity and realism. Adam Brody, whose portrayal of Trevor drives the film in many ways, was hesitant about doing the film alongside his real-life wife, Leighton Meester (Joey).
In a conversation with Variety, Brody spoke of the same and said, “I wouldn’t have picked this for us. It came to me fully formed from a friend to both of us, but this isn’t something I was looking to do together.” Nevertheless, the couple ended up starring in the film together, with their respective performances greatly benefiting the film’s sentimental narrative. For the most part, the film’s exploration of interpersonal relationships between characters informs its most significant connection to real-life. Other than that, given its inherent relation to the 1994 original, viewers will notice a layer of familiarity between the two. However, ‘River Wild’ does not have roots in real-life events or people.
