Deliverance, directed by John Boorman is a thriller based on John Dickey’s novel and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox. Four Atlanta businessmen – Lewis (Reynolds), Ed (Voight), Bobby (Beatty), and Drew (Cox) – go on a canoe trip down a river in the Georgia wilderness for a weekend to reconnect with nature by fishing, canoeing and camping. Unfortunately, the fun vacation away from the city soon escalates into a nightmarish quest for survival as the four men encounters the strangely unfriendly and possibly inbred locals.

Even by today’s standard, Deliverance is a disturbing movie to watch and yet simultaneously mesmerizing. From the start of this harrowing movie, some uneasy tension floats in the air. What could have been a charming opening sequence of two men connecting while playing some bluegrass music is instead a creepy and uncomfortable scene to watch as the boy is apparently inbred and leaves without saying anything. Later, in easily the most difficult scene to watch, Bobby and Ed are separated from their other companions and come upon two hostile hillbillies, one of them carrying a rifle. Bobby is raped while forced to squeal like a pig while Ed is powerless, tied up to a tree. Lewis arrives on the scene and kills one of the locals with an arrow but the other one escapes. This unleashes a string of events that leaves the group fighting for its own survival, both physically and psychologically and puts into question the definition of “civilized” and “uncivilized.”

Burt Reynolds, in a rare dramatic role, is excellent as Lewis, the over-confident leader of the group and Jon Voight gives a seemingly effortless performance as Ed, the most hesitant character of the group. Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox are solid in supporting roles as this movie launched their acting career. The hillbillies are played by local people as the movie was shot in South Carolina which gives the movie an authenticity that fill-ins from Central Casting would never have been able to reproduce.

Production values are outstanding. The cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond is oddly beautiful and showcases the overwhelming majesty and isolation of the Appalachians as well as craft this appearance of unease in everything the viewer sees. The sequences on the river are a highlight and accurately depict the thrills of white water rafting.

A minimalistic but superbly crafted movie that succeeds thanks to its intense atmosphere and tension. Deliverance plays on the fear that many people have of going to unknown and untamed places where the unimaginable might happen.

B+

Notes: 110 minutes