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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Hbo Home Video
Salesrank: 49601
Released: September 14, 2004 |
| Our Price: $3.25 |
| Used Price: $1.96 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Based on a terrifying true story. Pleasure turns to terror when a group of executives face disaster as their white-water raft overturns in a churning river. For those who survive, the search for blame begins.
White Mile Reviews:
A lot true ... 
2009-08-02 - I am related to one of the victim and from what I read of the trial depositions, a lot of this was true: some refused to go on the trip until they were told they could fish instead of raft, the release wasn't distributed until on the private plane to the site, the agency head discouraged or refused (depending on your perspective) the guide using a second boat to avoid mingling with another group, several on the trip grumbled concerns when they saw they were all going in one boat but due to peer pressure (yes, even at that age) none made a scene about it. One only wishes they had.
The Lava Canyon walls were too steep to hike out.
2009-04-18 - You can go to Google Earth and search for Chilko River and then zoom in on Lava Canyon and move your cursor down the river canyon, seeing lots of whitewater and the steep walls. "Some guides would not raft the Lava Canyon because the walls were too steep to hike out in case of injury," I read somewhere. There is no way a professional guide who had been working there for 13 years would have taken people down the Lava Canyon in one boat. But I believe from a newspaper article I read at the time that the boat was overloaded. It just would have been a much bigger raft than in the movie and a self-bailer, probably. (On the rivers in the movie, people use smaller rafts -- South and Middle Forks of the American, east of Sacramento -- where Marshall discovered gold).
I can't believe they did Class V without wearing safety helmets. A guide is supposed to go around and see if his or her crew have enough experience and are physically fit before doing Class V. Then s/he is supposed to test them out in easy water as far as paddling hard and doing the turns on command. The company owner is supposed to screen them for experience before letting them sign up for Class V. They would have had two to three other rafts who could be "eddied out" below a big rapid, with people positioned with throw ropes. One overloaded boat down a suicidally long, steep canyon?
This was August 1, 1987, and the five executives who died were Robert Goldstein, vice president of advertising for the Procter & Gamble Company; Richard T. O'Reilly, national director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; two senior vice presidents of DDB Needham Chicago, and a retired executive of that agency. I have not found out yet about why the court found the men partially liable for doing something dangerous, and the employer only partially liable for pressuring them into doing something dangerous. As far as I am concerned, the rafting company is 100% liable. My source said the outfitter had 13 years experience in that area.
Two executives who survived the capsizing said there was "absolutely no coercion to go on the trip" and the Alan Alda character, based on DDB Needham executive Al Wolfe, was completely unlike the real guy who organized the trip. I still cannot believe a raft guide would take people down a Class V long rapid with no other boats in support. Also, the water was 40°, so in a long rapid, even with other boats in support to pick up "swimmers" -- people always call people who fall out of a raft "swimmers" as though they meant to do that -- hypothermia would be a real concern. They should have had dry suits, being wealthy executives, or wetsuits and jackets and booties.
I think if there was no coercion, the movie is a fantasy. How do you know your tyrannical boss is a vain fool? I still think they placed their trust in the raft guide and he was 100% responsible.
Alda at his Baddest - Love it!
2007-09-19 - The thing that is most striking about this movie (other than the white water sequences) is how Mr. Goodguy can so turn on a dime and be such a slimey, self-serving, non-sympathetic figure in this movie. While he is like this throughout the movie, bullying his workers to go on this dangerous trip even one who feared for his life but needed his job more, his personae truly comes alive when the widow of one of these men comes to see him and he offers her some amazingly good cheescake....I loved seeing him like this -what an an incredible job of acting. This has to be a universal concept that happens in job situations throughout the world - "You do this or it's your job".....The action scenes are well filmed and acted and an exciting movie all-around. Peter Gallagher is good as the person who tries to do the right thing, Robert Loggia (always good) as someone who should have known better but surprisingly goes along with the rafting trip.
Cinematic Masterpiece of Whitewater
2006-12-09 - Think Citizen Kane on the river. Solid acting but the whitewater stunts are not the run of the mill Hollywood. Those guys led by Bryan "River Dog" Koelzer, who sat in the middle of the raft without a paddle, really make this movie special. This movie was voted the top 5 whitewater films of all time by Paddler magazine. If you don't own a copy you are will never reach complete enlightenment.
Well-Made Film In All Respects.
2005-11-16 - This work relates, speaking in broad terms, a narrative (based upon a true story) of a group of executives that is pressured into taking part in a whitewater raft trip, during which an unfortunate incident occurs. A subsequent lawsuit which addresses the incident completes a good portion of the film. The entire production wants nothing, as all involved perform at a high level. The scenario, by Michael Butler, is stripped neatly to its essence, and immediately engages the viewer with its combination of visceral excitement, suspense, and character development. The direction by the veteran Robert Butler is precise and enhanced by the splendidly balanced casting. Alan Alda gives his finest performance, softly creating a characterization which fascinates as it develops. Among other cast members, Peter Gallagher, Bruce Altman, and Robert Loggia offered nary a flaw in this seamless tale. The scenes immediately leading to, and including, the actual raft trip are enthralling as a test of strength between Alda's character and his companions, a test that reveals varying moral sensibilities. Editing, in a film reflecting issues of larger scope than are commonly seen, provides an important framework; here, a linear structure is created and moves smartly. The cinematography and lighting, under the aegis of Lloyd Ahern II, can be enthusiastically endorsed (with a wide range of scena) as a standard to be envied. The score by Pray For Rain, refreshingly non-DJ, implies applicable emotion neatly and nicely throughout this interesting and beautifully balanced motion picture. An obviously high level of preparation by all involved bring forth one of the finest films of the 90s.
