Unlike many other films, which are disturbing either by dint of their naked unpleasantness (Man Bites Dog) or their sheer violence (most Peckinpah films), Deliverance shocks by its plausibility. Certainly, the buggery scene is pretty straightforward in its unpleasantness, but the film's effect derives far more from its slow build-up and the tangible sense of isolation surrounding the four leads, both before and after everything starts to go wrong. The moment when the canoes pass under the child on the bridge, who does not even acknowledge the men he had earlier played music with, let alone show any sign of human affection towards them, is among the most sinister in modern film. The tension increases steadily throughout the canoe trip, and perseveres even after the final credits - the ending makes the significance of the characters' ordeals horrifically real. The movie's plausibility is greatly aided by the playing of the leads, particularly Ned Beatty and Jon Voight as the victim and reluctant hero respectively. Burt Reynolds, too, has never been better. The film's cultural influence is demonstrable by the number of people who will understand a reference to 'banjo territory' - perhaps only Get Carter has done such an effective hatchet-job on a region's tourist industry. I can think of only a handful of movies which put me into such a serious depression after they had finished - the oppressive atmosphere of Se7en is the best comparison I can think of. Although so much of it is excellent of itself, Deliverance is a classic above all because there are no adequate points of comparison with it - it is unique.
473 Reviews
"Sometimes you have to lose yourself before you can find anything."
Nazi_Fighter_David15 July 2007
John Boorman's "Deliverance" concerns four suburban Atlanta dwellers who take a ride down the swift waters of the Cahulawassee
The river is about to disappear for a dam construction and the flooding of the last untamed stretches of land
The four friends emphasize different characters: a virile sports enthusiast who has never been insured in his life since there is no specific risk in it (Burt Reynolds); a passionate family man and a guitar player (Ronny Cox); an overweight bachelor insurance salesman (Ned Beatty); and a quiet, thoughtful married man with a son who loves to smoke his pipe (Jon Voight).
What follows is the men's nightmarish explorations against the hostile violence of nature It is also an ideal code of moral principle about civilized men falling prey to the dark laws of the wilderness
Superbly shot, this thrilling adult adventure certainly contains some genuinely gripping scenes
The four friends emphasize different characters: a virile sports enthusiast who has never been insured in his life since there is no specific risk in it (Burt Reynolds); a passionate family man and a guitar player (Ronny Cox); an overweight bachelor insurance salesman (Ned Beatty); and a quiet, thoughtful married man with a son who loves to smoke his pipe (Jon Voight).
What follows is the men's nightmarish explorations against the hostile violence of nature It is also an ideal code of moral principle about civilized men falling prey to the dark laws of the wilderness
Superbly shot, this thrilling adult adventure certainly contains some genuinely gripping scenes
A terrific film but probably NOT for all audiences!
planktonrules10 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I will be the first to acknowledge that although this is a terrific film, it will certainly NOT appeal to everyone. When I watched it with my wife, she was pretty disgusted by the plot (it is pretty adult and pretty creepy) but I wasn't. I was actually fascinated how the film violated many of the unwritten rules of film--especially the amazingly non-traditional ending.
The film concerns a group of city folk who head to the Appalachian wilderness to hunt and canoe. Unfortunately, a group of man-rapin' hillbilly trash attack--and the group members are forced to take the law into their own hands. This makes for a very creepy film (don't even get me started about Ned Beatty's big scene) as well as a suspenseful one--very suspenseful.
Overall, the film has a lot going for it--a terrific soundtrack, a 100% original story and an ending that just blew me away! Well worth seeing...if you can take the very adult plot.
The film concerns a group of city folk who head to the Appalachian wilderness to hunt and canoe. Unfortunately, a group of man-rapin' hillbilly trash attack--and the group members are forced to take the law into their own hands. This makes for a very creepy film (don't even get me started about Ned Beatty's big scene) as well as a suspenseful one--very suspenseful.
Overall, the film has a lot going for it--a terrific soundtrack, a 100% original story and an ending that just blew me away! Well worth seeing...if you can take the very adult plot.
Masterful art in cinema!
UniqueParticle19 April 2019
True masterpiece genuinely done; very dark adventurous story about a group of men that are stuck in a situation after some creepy guys do some awful things and things spiral more from there! The sound editing & cinematography alone make this a wonderful experience along with a great cast!
I thoroughly enjoyed this menacing adventure; I'm sure it was difficult to make too. Movies aren't made like this anymore, so it's definitely nice to see this gem.
I thoroughly enjoyed this menacing adventure; I'm sure it was difficult to make too. Movies aren't made like this anymore, so it's definitely nice to see this gem.
oppressively chilling to watch and very thought provoking
filmfanfilmfanfilmfan13 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS! My review is mostly meant for examination by those who have already seen the movie!
As others have said this is a truly chilling and sinister film, many so called scary films lose their edge over the years by becoming dated, but this film feels sinister from the beginning and becomes almost unbearably oppressive to watch. Probably what makes it so chilling is the terrible events are entirely plausible.
One reviewer here said that this film was about how violence (real violence) affects people, I won't repeat his review because he explains it more eloquently than I, but I totally agree.
But interestingly enough as a woman it seemed to me that this movie was also examining masculinity but none of the male reviewers here have mentioned that, so I may be wrong. But I feel this way because it is noticeable to me how differently the men react, compared to women, to trauma. After the male rape not only is it never mentioned again but even initially when Ned is rescued it is not mentioned. I feel women would at least have a cry and hug each other first, but I may be wrong, because shock can manifest in different ways. However all of the men react in the same seemingly unemotional way, of course it is obvious that the men are traumatised by the event but their reaction is to protect their friend and fix the problem. And their way of fixing the problem is by not talking about it. Of course, part of the reason this event can't be discussed is because it is so emasculating. But their caring is obvious in little vignettes, for instance when Jon Voight helps Ned dress after the rape.
Why men suppress emotions is something I have not always understood and at times has annoyed me, but this movie was such an insight for me, as I finally got it. We women know how to let out emotion safely, but men are so trained to suppress it that when it does happen it is often like a dam bursting then they can't control it, so it's safer to bottle it up.
But the sad thing is though that their suppression will have terrible effects on them, this is one of the reasons therapists often say people shouldn't "bury" their problem (never was a metaphor so apt as in this film), however letting it out will make them crack, so they can't win, if they talk about it or suppress it, either way it will affect their sanity.
Mind you even as a woman I could understand that many women would want to bottle up an event as traumatic as this one.
Depressingly enough most movies when women get raped there is often something still "sexy" about the way it is shot but the male rape scene here is so sudden and so chilling you feel their helplessness and you know that if they aren't rescued that they will be killed and horribly, and you know they know this. Often rape reports deal with the violation but this scene really brings home to you the thought of not just the violation but the sheer terror that victims must feel, so I think this scene would be equally illustrative of what both men and women would experience.
Even before the rape, it is obvious to me that all these men feel inadequate as men. Macho Lewis is over compensating, whiny Ned boasts about sexual conquests because he knows how unmanly he seems.
So they want adventure (ie violence) so to transform themselves into real men, but ironically they don't understand that real violence isn't an adventure.
Weirdly enough what should be considered emasculating, the horrible rape Ned experiences, is actually what transforms him into a real man, one who is scared but determined to survive and help his friends.
Lewis almost does the opposite he goes from being the strong survivalist (though who undoubtedly saves them) to being terrified and in visible distress from his injury and helplessness.
But I don't think the movie is saying that he is a coward. I think the movie shows them all as true human beings, they all show great courage at times but are also reduced to absolute terror at other times as anyone experiencing such horrors would. But that's part of the point is that you can not have true courage without real fear.
So unlike the comic book heroes that they wanted to emulate, true heroism evolves from enduring terrible trauma.
And it makes me wonder if perhaps one of the reasons that war veterans do not speak of war isn't just because of the horrors they saw but perhaps they are also ashamed of the times that they showed fear, no matter how courageous they may have been, deep down they may feel like cowards.
The sad thing is that I think that the characters here will be forever traumatised and feel emasculated by what happened to them but the events were also the making of them as courageous heroes but they probably won't see it that way, but I had no doubt that Ned would go away being stronger, kinder and less brash to others and that Lewis would become more humble and that Jon Voight would appreciate his family more.
This is one of the few movies I've seen adult male rape in, and society rarely mentions it too. I think issues such as this should be explored more in cinema, so that men who have experienced such terrible trauma can at least feel that the issue is being addressed in some way. Because let's face it part of the reason why Ned and the other characters can't speak about the rape is because society has deemed adult male rape to be an unspeakably shameful subject.
As others have said this is a truly chilling and sinister film, many so called scary films lose their edge over the years by becoming dated, but this film feels sinister from the beginning and becomes almost unbearably oppressive to watch. Probably what makes it so chilling is the terrible events are entirely plausible.
One reviewer here said that this film was about how violence (real violence) affects people, I won't repeat his review because he explains it more eloquently than I, but I totally agree.
But interestingly enough as a woman it seemed to me that this movie was also examining masculinity but none of the male reviewers here have mentioned that, so I may be wrong. But I feel this way because it is noticeable to me how differently the men react, compared to women, to trauma. After the male rape not only is it never mentioned again but even initially when Ned is rescued it is not mentioned. I feel women would at least have a cry and hug each other first, but I may be wrong, because shock can manifest in different ways. However all of the men react in the same seemingly unemotional way, of course it is obvious that the men are traumatised by the event but their reaction is to protect their friend and fix the problem. And their way of fixing the problem is by not talking about it. Of course, part of the reason this event can't be discussed is because it is so emasculating. But their caring is obvious in little vignettes, for instance when Jon Voight helps Ned dress after the rape.
Why men suppress emotions is something I have not always understood and at times has annoyed me, but this movie was such an insight for me, as I finally got it. We women know how to let out emotion safely, but men are so trained to suppress it that when it does happen it is often like a dam bursting then they can't control it, so it's safer to bottle it up.
But the sad thing is though that their suppression will have terrible effects on them, this is one of the reasons therapists often say people shouldn't "bury" their problem (never was a metaphor so apt as in this film), however letting it out will make them crack, so they can't win, if they talk about it or suppress it, either way it will affect their sanity.
Mind you even as a woman I could understand that many women would want to bottle up an event as traumatic as this one.
Depressingly enough most movies when women get raped there is often something still "sexy" about the way it is shot but the male rape scene here is so sudden and so chilling you feel their helplessness and you know that if they aren't rescued that they will be killed and horribly, and you know they know this. Often rape reports deal with the violation but this scene really brings home to you the thought of not just the violation but the sheer terror that victims must feel, so I think this scene would be equally illustrative of what both men and women would experience.
Even before the rape, it is obvious to me that all these men feel inadequate as men. Macho Lewis is over compensating, whiny Ned boasts about sexual conquests because he knows how unmanly he seems.
So they want adventure (ie violence) so to transform themselves into real men, but ironically they don't understand that real violence isn't an adventure.
Weirdly enough what should be considered emasculating, the horrible rape Ned experiences, is actually what transforms him into a real man, one who is scared but determined to survive and help his friends.
Lewis almost does the opposite he goes from being the strong survivalist (though who undoubtedly saves them) to being terrified and in visible distress from his injury and helplessness.
But I don't think the movie is saying that he is a coward. I think the movie shows them all as true human beings, they all show great courage at times but are also reduced to absolute terror at other times as anyone experiencing such horrors would. But that's part of the point is that you can not have true courage without real fear.
So unlike the comic book heroes that they wanted to emulate, true heroism evolves from enduring terrible trauma.
And it makes me wonder if perhaps one of the reasons that war veterans do not speak of war isn't just because of the horrors they saw but perhaps they are also ashamed of the times that they showed fear, no matter how courageous they may have been, deep down they may feel like cowards.
The sad thing is that I think that the characters here will be forever traumatised and feel emasculated by what happened to them but the events were also the making of them as courageous heroes but they probably won't see it that way, but I had no doubt that Ned would go away being stronger, kinder and less brash to others and that Lewis would become more humble and that Jon Voight would appreciate his family more.
This is one of the few movies I've seen adult male rape in, and society rarely mentions it too. I think issues such as this should be explored more in cinema, so that men who have experienced such terrible trauma can at least feel that the issue is being addressed in some way. Because let's face it part of the reason why Ned and the other characters can't speak about the rape is because society has deemed adult male rape to be an unspeakably shameful subject.
A true classic
Huge2 October 2000
This is without a doubt one of the best movies I have ever seen; a chilling account of a doomed canoe trip that will haunt your memory for years to come. It is disheartening to read the number of negative reviews for this excellent film, which I can only attribute to the one-dimensional nature of today's uber-blockbusters. It seems that the finer subtleties of good filmmaking present in Deliverance are lost on today's generation of moviegoers whose cinematic palates have been cloyed with multi-million-dollar special effects, unimaginative dialogue, mindless violence and saccharine plots. Every aspect of this movie has been wonderfully choreographed and combine to create a film that goes well beyond mere entertainment, simultaneously shocking and challenging the audience.
Everything that occurs in this movie serves a poignant purpose; the creators focus on quality rather than quantity. The plot, which seems simple enough, gradually takes on an eerily disturbing nature. The dialogue is sparse, but screenwriters and director use it as a strength, allowing events and cinematography to speak volumes about the characters. The violence, though disturbing, also acts as an integral piece of the film. The scenery is spectacular and Deliverance makes some of the best use of foreshadowing and silence I've ever seen in a movie.
Few movies leave such an impression on the viewer. To this day, I can't hear "Dueling Banjos"--or just about any banjo music for that matter--without thinking of this movie. Nor can I help but feel this movie doomed Ned Beatty's acting career (after seeing this film, every time you see Ned Beatty in any other role, you can't help but remember the infamous riverbank scene). Even people who have never seen the movie know the ghastly meaning of the words "squeal like a pig".
It is truly worth taking the time to see this film. It is an excellent treatise of the human reaction when challenged with fear, danger and adventure.
Everything that occurs in this movie serves a poignant purpose; the creators focus on quality rather than quantity. The plot, which seems simple enough, gradually takes on an eerily disturbing nature. The dialogue is sparse, but screenwriters and director use it as a strength, allowing events and cinematography to speak volumes about the characters. The violence, though disturbing, also acts as an integral piece of the film. The scenery is spectacular and Deliverance makes some of the best use of foreshadowing and silence I've ever seen in a movie.
Few movies leave such an impression on the viewer. To this day, I can't hear "Dueling Banjos"--or just about any banjo music for that matter--without thinking of this movie. Nor can I help but feel this movie doomed Ned Beatty's acting career (after seeing this film, every time you see Ned Beatty in any other role, you can't help but remember the infamous riverbank scene). Even people who have never seen the movie know the ghastly meaning of the words "squeal like a pig".
It is truly worth taking the time to see this film. It is an excellent treatise of the human reaction when challenged with fear, danger and adventure.
A psychological thriller that's not for many
SimonJack6 April 2018
"Deliverance" is based on a novel by American author James Dickey, of the same title. Four men who are friends plan a weekend in the outdoors from their families and jobs in the city. The setting is in Georgia, and they are going to canoe one of the roughest rivers to get to and to ride.
Only this adventure turns into a psychological nightmare. It's a griping ride down a fast and narrow river gorge. But the rapids and falls aren't the worst dangers. This is a story and film that one won't forget years after watching it. It's not for everyone. Even some who enjoy intrigue and mystery may find "Deliverance" unsettling.
It's definitely not for children, teens included. People who can readily distinguish reality from fiction and can easily move on beyond the latter, would be those most likely to appreciate this movie.
Only this adventure turns into a psychological nightmare. It's a griping ride down a fast and narrow river gorge. But the rapids and falls aren't the worst dangers. This is a story and film that one won't forget years after watching it. It's not for everyone. Even some who enjoy intrigue and mystery may find "Deliverance" unsettling.
It's definitely not for children, teens included. People who can readily distinguish reality from fiction and can easily move on beyond the latter, would be those most likely to appreciate this movie.
Insanely disturbing, survival movie. It will change ur perception about human nature.
Fella_shibby21 February 2016
I first saw this on a vhs in the 90s, then on a vcd in 2006 n finally on a blu-ray. It's an extremely disturbing film especially the scene with Ned Beatty. One of the best backwoods/survival film of all time.
The film's awesome scenery, the sounds of birds, reptiles n insects n the gushing wild rivers combined with the absence of civilization are characters themselves.
We get to see Jon Voight doing some daredevil rock climbing and Burt Reynolds in his sleeveless t shirt flaunting biceps.
John Boorman has created one of the best movies based on James Dickey's novel. Indeed an influential movie. The banjo scene n the music is terrific.
What happens in Cahulawassee stays in Cahulawassee
Fenrir_Sleeps30 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
'Duelling Banjos' and 'SQUEAL!' are the names by which the two most famous scenes of 'Deliverance' are known. The first one depicts an amicable musical dispute between one of the main characters (Drew) and a local boy, the second a scene where other main character (Bobby) is humiliated and sodomized by another far less amicable local. Both scenes (in very different ways, that's for sure), convey human interaction in pre-Babbel form, two scenes that don't lean on language and make us feel good and evil in their purest form, in this tale where Men returns to the Wild and, therefore, must be confronted with it.
'Deliverance' is a downbeat adventure drama film directed by John Boorman in 1972, starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox as the four city men who trade their golf weekend for a canoe adventure down the Cahulawassee River in Southern U.S., before this last piece of native, wild America disappears underwater after the construction of a dam. But things start to unravel for the four adventurers, who soon find themselves fighting for survival on a land where civilization laws are not applicable.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does a tremendous job capturing the beautiful wild, landscape in tones of green and smooth gold. The four main actors are all up to the characters they play, as proved by the scenes when moral discussion arises and each of them must make their point on the subject. The soundtrack is minimal and mostly replicate the Nature sounds that surround our four men on their adventure, with some keys of banjo here and there, which really helps to delve in the story.
In sum, 'Deliverance' is an effective adventure film, which counts with great photography, interpretations and soundtrack to convey a story of instinct and survival over civilization, where good and evil are shown in their most raw form and every major plot event is pondered and brings irreversible consequences for the future. So it is the way of Nature.
'Deliverance' is a downbeat adventure drama film directed by John Boorman in 1972, starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox as the four city men who trade their golf weekend for a canoe adventure down the Cahulawassee River in Southern U.S., before this last piece of native, wild America disappears underwater after the construction of a dam. But things start to unravel for the four adventurers, who soon find themselves fighting for survival on a land where civilization laws are not applicable.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does a tremendous job capturing the beautiful wild, landscape in tones of green and smooth gold. The four main actors are all up to the characters they play, as proved by the scenes when moral discussion arises and each of them must make their point on the subject. The soundtrack is minimal and mostly replicate the Nature sounds that surround our four men on their adventure, with some keys of banjo here and there, which really helps to delve in the story.
In sum, 'Deliverance' is an effective adventure film, which counts with great photography, interpretations and soundtrack to convey a story of instinct and survival over civilization, where good and evil are shown in their most raw form and every major plot event is pondered and brings irreversible consequences for the future. So it is the way of Nature.
Very Good Movie...
eskimosound12 November 2020
Four excellent actors here, showing great skill, talent and emotion. This is back before Burt Reynolds did all his comedy roles. Four City guys take a trip to the mountains. Their Canoe adventure steadily gets worse and worse as they play cat and mouse with some Hillbillies. Theres no need to analyse it, it's just a very good movie.
Disturbing, yet thought provoking
treybott851 March 2002
This was, undoubtedly, the most disturbing movie that I have ever seen. The first part of the movie, though strange, has a light and amusing quality to it. The journey begins on such a peaceful note, detailing and emphasizing the beauty of the hills of Appalachia. But that is misleading beyond belief. The obvious social problems (inbreeding) and the deformities of the countryside's inhabitants are only the first disturbing aspects of the movie. I can still hear Bobby moaning in pain, and I shudder at the thought. Lewis's leg made me wince. Yet, while the movie was, on the whole, very disturbing and distressing, it posed some interesting questions. When is it moral, or right to take another individual's life? What can morality drive us to do, or not do, in some cases? And are dignity and moral integrity more important than life itself? Whatever conclusions one may draw from the film, it is an achievement in its own right (despite certain aspects that were chillingly real and gruesome).
Excellence Delivered
Lechuguilla8 October 2005
In what is arguably the best outdoor adventure film of all time, four city guys confront nature's wrath, in a story of survival. The setting is backwoods Georgia, with its forests, mountains, and wild rivers.
The director, John Boorman, chose to use local people, not actors, to portray secondary characters. These locals imbue the film with a depth of characterization unequaled in film history. No central casting "actors" could ever come close to these people's remarkable faces, voices, or actions. I don't recall a film wherein the secondary characters are so realistic and colorful. As much as anything else, it is this gritty realism that makes this film so amazing.
Another strength is the film's theme. Nature, in the wild, can be violent. How appropriate that the setting should be the American South. Very few places in the U.S. are, or have been, as violent as redneck country. In a story about Darwinian survival of the fittest, the film conveys the idea that humans are part of nature, not separate from it.
"Deliverance" is very much a product of its time when, unlike today, Americans expressed concern over a vanishing wilderness. The film's magnificent scenery, the sounds of birds, frogs, crickets, and the roar of the river rapids, combined with the absence of civilization, all convey an environmental message. And that is another strength of the film.
At an entertainment level, the tension gradually escalates, as the plot proceeds. Not even half way into the film the tension becomes extreme, and then never lets up, not until the final credits roll. Very few films can sustain that level of intensity over such a long span of plot.
Finally, the film's technical quality is topnotch. Direction and editing are flawless. Cinematography is excellent. Dialogue is interesting. And the acting is terrific. Burt Reynolds has never been better. Ned Beatty is perfectly cast and does a fine job. And Jon Voight should have been nominated for an Oscar. If there is a weak link in the film, it is the music, which strikes me as timid.
Overall, "Deliverance" almost certainly will appeal to viewers who like outdoor adventure. Even for those who don't, the gritty characterizations, the acting, and the plot tension are reasons enough to watch this film, one of the finest in cinema history.
The director, John Boorman, chose to use local people, not actors, to portray secondary characters. These locals imbue the film with a depth of characterization unequaled in film history. No central casting "actors" could ever come close to these people's remarkable faces, voices, or actions. I don't recall a film wherein the secondary characters are so realistic and colorful. As much as anything else, it is this gritty realism that makes this film so amazing.
Another strength is the film's theme. Nature, in the wild, can be violent. How appropriate that the setting should be the American South. Very few places in the U.S. are, or have been, as violent as redneck country. In a story about Darwinian survival of the fittest, the film conveys the idea that humans are part of nature, not separate from it.
"Deliverance" is very much a product of its time when, unlike today, Americans expressed concern over a vanishing wilderness. The film's magnificent scenery, the sounds of birds, frogs, crickets, and the roar of the river rapids, combined with the absence of civilization, all convey an environmental message. And that is another strength of the film.
At an entertainment level, the tension gradually escalates, as the plot proceeds. Not even half way into the film the tension becomes extreme, and then never lets up, not until the final credits roll. Very few films can sustain that level of intensity over such a long span of plot.
Finally, the film's technical quality is topnotch. Direction and editing are flawless. Cinematography is excellent. Dialogue is interesting. And the acting is terrific. Burt Reynolds has never been better. Ned Beatty is perfectly cast and does a fine job. And Jon Voight should have been nominated for an Oscar. If there is a weak link in the film, it is the music, which strikes me as timid.
Overall, "Deliverance" almost certainly will appeal to viewers who like outdoor adventure. Even for those who don't, the gritty characterizations, the acting, and the plot tension are reasons enough to watch this film, one of the finest in cinema history.
What else can you ask of a movie? GREAT
MountainMan8 November 2003
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this movie in the wee hours of the morning when I should have been asleep. This, in itself, was testimony that Deliverance was a spell-binding movie. I think Boorman did a wonderful job on directing this film. How expertly the early scene with the hill folk and the dueling banjos was done. It showed so well and early on how inherently reserved and simple the people of the area were. Case in point - near the end of the "duel", the banjo-playing boy was smiling (loved his banjo), but when Drew tried to shake the boy's hand after the "duel", the kid was too reserved to respond. The river trip never left you bored, for sure. The rape scene was brutal, but necessary to show just what the group was up against in this backwoods area of Georgia. I think Beatty's traumatic shock afterward was well done. Some have said he was pretty unaffected by the ordeal. I disagree - if you really payed attention, he was unresponsive during the entire action immediately following, in which Reynolds put the arrow through the attacker and they chased off the toothless guy. It was confusing when Ed killed the other guy later, at the top of the cliff. It almost appeared that the arrow was shot while Ed was curled up and expecting to die, but then you realize the arrow he had shot earlier had finally taken effect.
Anyway, a great movie, and I was wavering between an 8 and 9 on my vote, but after reading a message from a disgruntled voter who gave it a "1", I gave it a "10". This individual's reasoning seemed based on personal bias, rather than an objective viewpoint, and his vote was obviously a non-correlating attempt to lower the rating.
Anyway, a great movie, and I was wavering between an 8 and 9 on my vote, but after reading a message from a disgruntled voter who gave it a "1", I gave it a "10". This individual's reasoning seemed based on personal bias, rather than an objective viewpoint, and his vote was obviously a non-correlating attempt to lower the rating.
Plays its best cards too soon
moonspinner5521 August 2005
For the first-half, an eerily raw, surrealistic look at a rapids-ride down South that turns tragic for a group of businessmen. Director John Boorman creates scary, ugly tension and appropriate dread, but the thing could've finished at least thirty minutes sooner. There's really nothing to keep the viewer around after the first hour. It's gripping, yes, but it's all atmosphere and exposition(with a long-winded wrap-up and shock climax that is muffed by Boorman). The film has solid performances(even by a swaggering Burt Reynolds, who does manage to create a character, albeit not a complicated one), but I didn't feel much was happening after a certain point and felt the tension eventually flag, giving way to a meandering narrative. ** from ****
A fantastic portrait of terror in mind vs terror in reality
DavidLindahl27 May 2016
To try and explain the greatness of Deliverance, you must first understand the impact this film had when it came. Most of us have probably seen a horror film about a gang in the woods that gets harassed and stalked by people. Deliverance is the father of these films and an original that stands really well to this day as one of the best films ever made in the genre. A gang of four guys ventures out in nature to paddle canoes along Cahulawassee River before it gets flooded into a lake. However their boat trip does not turn out the way they had hoped for when they suddenly gets stalked and harassed by the locals. Burt Reynolds plays the outdoor fanatic Lewis who brings his friends on the journey, Jon Voght, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox. The film is directed by John Boorman from the novel by the same name from 1970.
What is it then that makes Deliverance so incredibly good. At the beginning of the film the gang is traveling by car, the mood is good and very typical for guys. After having a short break to fill up the cars with petrol and listening to the famous banjo duel "Dueling Banjos" between Ronny Cox's character and a local boy, they head for the river. What happens next out on the river is like a nightmare and also very psychologically demanding. Deliverance always feels so real and genuine that you truly become frightened. How would you yourself react in a similar situation so far away from civilization? After the gang starts to get harassed in the woods, the panic and fear increases. They all react differently, and rightly so, no human being is the other alike. That is just what makes it so good, the characters' different personalities. The film then sort of becomes a psychological mind game, perhaps mostly taking place in their heads. Are they being followed, how will they get out of the situation they are in and what will they say when they return?
Besides the psychological aspects of Deliverance, it is also incredibly beautiful to watch. It's completely filmed on location out in the woods with actors willing to perform the different stunts themselves. As I wrote when I reviewed The Revenant, this is also a man vs wild film. In the beginning we experience nature as incredibly beautiful and stunning but later it quickly turns to become your worst nightmare. Incredibly well done by the director. The absolute greatness in Deliverance lies according to me in the end and the summarization of the film. What really happened and what didn't happen. How do you react to these kinds of situations out in the middle of nowhere? Can we return with our senses intact and how do you change as a person after experiencing something like it? Without spoiling the story too much, I've here tried to review and explain what Deliverance is to me. I recommend everyone to watch it and it is very high up on my list of the best films ever made.
David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se
What is it then that makes Deliverance so incredibly good. At the beginning of the film the gang is traveling by car, the mood is good and very typical for guys. After having a short break to fill up the cars with petrol and listening to the famous banjo duel "Dueling Banjos" between Ronny Cox's character and a local boy, they head for the river. What happens next out on the river is like a nightmare and also very psychologically demanding. Deliverance always feels so real and genuine that you truly become frightened. How would you yourself react in a similar situation so far away from civilization? After the gang starts to get harassed in the woods, the panic and fear increases. They all react differently, and rightly so, no human being is the other alike. That is just what makes it so good, the characters' different personalities. The film then sort of becomes a psychological mind game, perhaps mostly taking place in their heads. Are they being followed, how will they get out of the situation they are in and what will they say when they return?
Besides the psychological aspects of Deliverance, it is also incredibly beautiful to watch. It's completely filmed on location out in the woods with actors willing to perform the different stunts themselves. As I wrote when I reviewed The Revenant, this is also a man vs wild film. In the beginning we experience nature as incredibly beautiful and stunning but later it quickly turns to become your worst nightmare. Incredibly well done by the director. The absolute greatness in Deliverance lies according to me in the end and the summarization of the film. What really happened and what didn't happen. How do you react to these kinds of situations out in the middle of nowhere? Can we return with our senses intact and how do you change as a person after experiencing something like it? Without spoiling the story too much, I've here tried to review and explain what Deliverance is to me. I recommend everyone to watch it and it is very high up on my list of the best films ever made.
David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se
Masterpiece
ema-5011 January 2013
40+ years after it was made, it still seems fresh. Horrible, thought-provoking, beautiful, exciting, well acted, and consistent. Truly a classic.
I saw this movie with my dad 29 years ago, because he had seen it some years previously, and wanted to see it again. I was 17 at the time, and thought the movie was "cool". Seeing it now, at the age of 46, and with half a (or a whole) lifetime behind me, the movie is still "cool". But it is so much more also. It's a comment on the pros and cons of "the system", the evolved society of man. It's presented through the ordeals of 4 men in the vanishing remains of wilderness in America.
No overacting, no simplifications, just honest storytelling. Loved it - again.
I saw this movie with my dad 29 years ago, because he had seen it some years previously, and wanted to see it again. I was 17 at the time, and thought the movie was "cool". Seeing it now, at the age of 46, and with half a (or a whole) lifetime behind me, the movie is still "cool". But it is so much more also. It's a comment on the pros and cons of "the system", the evolved society of man. It's presented through the ordeals of 4 men in the vanishing remains of wilderness in America.
No overacting, no simplifications, just honest storytelling. Loved it - again.
Brutal
Petejones9997 December 2004
I think one of the words that most describes the events in this film to me is brutal. When I saw this as a young lad, I felt the isolation of the four characters, cut-off from the world they are used to and thrown into a brutal world where nature is harsh (the rocks and canyons along the river always scare me) and the local folk are a complete world away. The film still scares the sh*t out of me! I mean, what would YOU do if you were confronted by two hill-billies in a situation like that?
It's so easy to remain distant and see the film as "entertainment", but take a reality-check and immerse yourself in the story. It's a shame some just don't appreciate the film - guess we're used to adrenaline-pumping action from start to finish nowadays, but that's too easy - it doesn't require emotional involvement from the viewer unlike a film such as Deliverance...
It's so easy to remain distant and see the film as "entertainment", but take a reality-check and immerse yourself in the story. It's a shame some just don't appreciate the film - guess we're used to adrenaline-pumping action from start to finish nowadays, but that's too easy - it doesn't require emotional involvement from the viewer unlike a film such as Deliverance...
John Boorman's disturbing hit movie plenty of thrills , chills and wonderful outdoors
ma-cortes8 April 2013
Good film about a canoe voyage down a dangerous river which starts as a holiday but soon becomes a weekend of sheer terror . Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's turned into one huge lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock (Burt Reynolds) takes his friends (John Voight , Ned Beatty , Ronny Cox) on a river-rafting trip they'll never forget into the risked American back-country filled with rare and violent hillbillies .
This interesting picture contains intrigue , action , violence , marvelous landscapes and a strong ecological denounce. This trilling film was based on an exciting novel by James Dickey . At the time this motion picture was rated ¨R¨ for its excessive violence , sex and profanity ; nowadays this dangerous standard is underrated . To minimize costs, the production wasn't insured - and the actors did their own stunts , for instance, Jon Voight actually climbed the cliff and to save costs and add to the realism, local residents were cast in the roles of the hill people. Very good cast as John Boorman discovered both Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty working in theater , neither had substantial film experience previously. The notorious rape scene was filmed in one take, largely at the insistence of Ned Beatty who didn't want to film the scene repeatedly . Billy Redden plays the role of The Banjo Boy , he was hand-picked from his local elementary school, largely due to his "look" , his large head, skinny body, odd-shaped eyes and moronic grin , he was discovered by director Tim Burton in 2003 working as a dishwasher . Top-notch acting from John Voight and Burt Reynolds . Author James Dickey gave Burt Reynolds a few days of bow and arrow lessons and by the end, Reynolds was quite accurate and proficient with the weapon . Both Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda turned down the role of "Lewis" before it was offered to Burt Reynolds, who took it ; also Donald Sutherland turned down a role in this film because he objected to the violence in the script , he later admitted to regretting that decision . This movie is considered to be the "breakthrough" film of Burt Reynolds , it marked his transition from acting and starring , this film reflects the start of the period of Reynolds enormous star power and box-office pulling power, his machismo persona being mixed with a critical recognized serious dramatic performance . Gorgeous cinematography by an excellent cameraman , as John Boorman wanted Vilmos Zsigmond as his director of photography as he had famously filmed the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary ; Boorman reckoned that anyone who had filmed under the threat of Russian tanks and guns would be ideally suited to such an intensive and grueling shoot as Deliverance promised to be.
The motion picture was very good shot by John Boorman , though originally, Sam Peckinpah wanted to direct the movie ; when Boorman secured the rights, Peckinpah directed Straw Dogs instead . John is a real professional filmmaking from the 6os , though sparsely scattered and giving various classics . John started as an assistant direction and his friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to work in Hollywood as ¨Point Blank¨ (1967) and ¨Hell in the Pacific¨ (1968) from where he returned to the UK and directed ¨Leo¨ (1970) , a rare Sci-Fi titled ¨Zardoz¨ (1974) or the ¨failure Exorcist II¨ (1977). His films are without exception among the most exciting visually in the modern cinema . He became famous for Excalibur (1981), the best of them , ¨Emerald forest¨ (1985) with a ecologist denounce included and his autobiographic story ¨Hope and Glory¨ (1987) and which brought him another Academy Award Nomination after ¨Deliverance¨ . Rating : Better than average . Wholesome watching .
This interesting picture contains intrigue , action , violence , marvelous landscapes and a strong ecological denounce. This trilling film was based on an exciting novel by James Dickey . At the time this motion picture was rated ¨R¨ for its excessive violence , sex and profanity ; nowadays this dangerous standard is underrated . To minimize costs, the production wasn't insured - and the actors did their own stunts , for instance, Jon Voight actually climbed the cliff and to save costs and add to the realism, local residents were cast in the roles of the hill people. Very good cast as John Boorman discovered both Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty working in theater , neither had substantial film experience previously. The notorious rape scene was filmed in one take, largely at the insistence of Ned Beatty who didn't want to film the scene repeatedly . Billy Redden plays the role of The Banjo Boy , he was hand-picked from his local elementary school, largely due to his "look" , his large head, skinny body, odd-shaped eyes and moronic grin , he was discovered by director Tim Burton in 2003 working as a dishwasher . Top-notch acting from John Voight and Burt Reynolds . Author James Dickey gave Burt Reynolds a few days of bow and arrow lessons and by the end, Reynolds was quite accurate and proficient with the weapon . Both Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda turned down the role of "Lewis" before it was offered to Burt Reynolds, who took it ; also Donald Sutherland turned down a role in this film because he objected to the violence in the script , he later admitted to regretting that decision . This movie is considered to be the "breakthrough" film of Burt Reynolds , it marked his transition from acting and starring , this film reflects the start of the period of Reynolds enormous star power and box-office pulling power, his machismo persona being mixed with a critical recognized serious dramatic performance . Gorgeous cinematography by an excellent cameraman , as John Boorman wanted Vilmos Zsigmond as his director of photography as he had famously filmed the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary ; Boorman reckoned that anyone who had filmed under the threat of Russian tanks and guns would be ideally suited to such an intensive and grueling shoot as Deliverance promised to be.
The motion picture was very good shot by John Boorman , though originally, Sam Peckinpah wanted to direct the movie ; when Boorman secured the rights, Peckinpah directed Straw Dogs instead . John is a real professional filmmaking from the 6os , though sparsely scattered and giving various classics . John started as an assistant direction and his friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to work in Hollywood as ¨Point Blank¨ (1967) and ¨Hell in the Pacific¨ (1968) from where he returned to the UK and directed ¨Leo¨ (1970) , a rare Sci-Fi titled ¨Zardoz¨ (1974) or the ¨failure Exorcist II¨ (1977). His films are without exception among the most exciting visually in the modern cinema . He became famous for Excalibur (1981), the best of them , ¨Emerald forest¨ (1985) with a ecologist denounce included and his autobiographic story ¨Hope and Glory¨ (1987) and which brought him another Academy Award Nomination after ¨Deliverance¨ . Rating : Better than average . Wholesome watching .
An Unforgettable Rafting Vacation
bkoganbing11 April 2011
Watching Deliverance tonight put me in mind of the great Elia Kazan film The Wild River which was about the Tennessee Valley Authority building a dam that would bury a certain island under water in the middle of the Tennessee River. On that island was a clan that was headed by Jo Van Fleet. In the end all they could do was move and Van Fleet die as the water swallowed up their homes and way of life.
The same thing is happening in Deliverance as four executives from Atlanta decide go on a fishing trip one last time two a river that's about to overflow its banks when a dam is being built. A whole town and a way of life is to be summarily wiped out and the locals aren't taking to kindly to city folks even they're from Atlanta and talk kind of like they do. These people might as well be from Mars. In fact in Georgia a certain governor named Gene Talmadge encouraged that kind of division with his county unit rule so that one had to get a majority of counties including the hillbilly ones in order to gain state office. The poor white trash that dominated in these counties had a stranglehold on the politics of Georgia for a generation and a half.
The four vacationers, Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox get put through all kinds of hell by some of the locals when out on the river. It gets good and personal and draw your own conclusions there. In the end it's a fight for survival.
Director John Boorman wisely chose to opt for realism in telling this savage tale. He shot Deliverance on location in the wilds of rural Georgia and used some of the real population as extras to give it a proper flavor. The four leads all perform well and Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty made great big screen debuts that insured both long careers.
And there's that Dueling Banjos theme which is actually a guitar and a banjo and once heard will reverberate forever.
The same thing is happening in Deliverance as four executives from Atlanta decide go on a fishing trip one last time two a river that's about to overflow its banks when a dam is being built. A whole town and a way of life is to be summarily wiped out and the locals aren't taking to kindly to city folks even they're from Atlanta and talk kind of like they do. These people might as well be from Mars. In fact in Georgia a certain governor named Gene Talmadge encouraged that kind of division with his county unit rule so that one had to get a majority of counties including the hillbilly ones in order to gain state office. The poor white trash that dominated in these counties had a stranglehold on the politics of Georgia for a generation and a half.
The four vacationers, Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox get put through all kinds of hell by some of the locals when out on the river. It gets good and personal and draw your own conclusions there. In the end it's a fight for survival.
Director John Boorman wisely chose to opt for realism in telling this savage tale. He shot Deliverance on location in the wilds of rural Georgia and used some of the real population as extras to give it a proper flavor. The four leads all perform well and Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty made great big screen debuts that insured both long careers.
And there's that Dueling Banjos theme which is actually a guitar and a banjo and once heard will reverberate forever.
Quite brilliant
AKS-625 March 2001
I haven't seen this movie for at least ten years. I was probably around twelve or thirteen years old when I saw it for the first time. After that I always thought of the "squeal like a pig"-scene as soon as someone mentioned Deliverance. But the film is so much more, and much better, than to have to be associated with that particular scene forever.
Deliverance is about thirty years old, but according to me it does not feel or seem dated at all. It could have been made in the middle of the 90s, as far as I'm concerned. Jon Voight is great, the other actors are good as well, but Voight is quite brilliant. The film itself is also quite brilliant: great story and script, great acting and fantastic directing. Much better than I remembered it to be.
Deliverance is about thirty years old, but according to me it does not feel or seem dated at all. It could have been made in the middle of the 90s, as far as I'm concerned. Jon Voight is great, the other actors are good as well, but Voight is quite brilliant. The film itself is also quite brilliant: great story and script, great acting and fantastic directing. Much better than I remembered it to be.
The thin line between "civilization" and barbarism
virek21312 July 2001
As Peckinpah did with STRAW DOGS, and Kubrick with A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, director John Boorman delivers an effective film about Man's violent side in DELIVERANCE, arguably a definitive horror film of the 1970s. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox portray four Atlanta businessmen who decide to take a canoe trip down the wild Cahulawassee River in northern Georgia before it is dammed up into what Reynolds calls "one big, dead lake."
But the local mountain folk take a painfully obvious dim view of these "city boys" carousing through their woods. And the following day, continuing on down the river, Beatty and Voight are accosted and sexually assaulted (the film's infamous "SQUEAL!" sequence) by two vicious mountain men (Bill McKinney, Herbert "Cowboy" Coward). Thus, what started out as nothing more than a lark through the Appalachians has now turned into a nightmare in which our four protagonists come to see the thin line that exists between what we think of as civilization and what we think of as barbarism.
James Dickey adapted the screenplay from his own best-selling book, and the result is an often gripping and disturbing shocker. Often known for its "SQUEAL!" and "Dueling Banjos" sequences, DELIVERANCE is also quite a pulse-pounding ordeal, with the four leading men superb in their roles, and McKinney and Coward making for two of the most frightening villains of all times. A must-see film for those willing to take a chance.
But the local mountain folk take a painfully obvious dim view of these "city boys" carousing through their woods. And the following day, continuing on down the river, Beatty and Voight are accosted and sexually assaulted (the film's infamous "SQUEAL!" sequence) by two vicious mountain men (Bill McKinney, Herbert "Cowboy" Coward). Thus, what started out as nothing more than a lark through the Appalachians has now turned into a nightmare in which our four protagonists come to see the thin line that exists between what we think of as civilization and what we think of as barbarism.
James Dickey adapted the screenplay from his own best-selling book, and the result is an often gripping and disturbing shocker. Often known for its "SQUEAL!" and "Dueling Banjos" sequences, DELIVERANCE is also quite a pulse-pounding ordeal, with the four leading men superb in their roles, and McKinney and Coward making for two of the most frightening villains of all times. A must-see film for those willing to take a chance.
Deliverance Delivers
MJKAnderson9014 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I went in expecting to see another "The Hills Have Eyes" or "Wrong Turn." I was pleasantly surprised and mistaken. The character development was great. Burt Reynolds plays a perfect conspiracy theorist-end of the world-survivalist and John Voight is a perfect character foil. He is a successful businessman with a beautiful wife and son and a perfect life. Both Burt's and John's character arcs are interesting and unexpected. John becomes the underdog-hero and Burt becomes the victim. And let's not overlook unforgettable performances by Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.
The story development is what really took me by surprise. As I said before, I was expecting another story about some guys fighting disfigured people in unfamiliar territory. The story, however, was more about four men fighting for survival when modern society has been stripped from them. The two "hillbillies" were simply the catalyst to set the events in motion.
The only reason I give this a 7/10 instead of a 9/10 is because of one scene. The cinematography was consistently beautiful throughout the film, except the scene they shot day for night. I understand they didn't have film stock or lenses that would shoot in low light levels and they had to make do with what they could. However, it was so distracting in some parts that it completely took me out of the moment and I was only able settle back in several minutes after the scene was over.
All in all, it was a fantastic film that shouldn't be missed.
The story development is what really took me by surprise. As I said before, I was expecting another story about some guys fighting disfigured people in unfamiliar territory. The story, however, was more about four men fighting for survival when modern society has been stripped from them. The two "hillbillies" were simply the catalyst to set the events in motion.
The only reason I give this a 7/10 instead of a 9/10 is because of one scene. The cinematography was consistently beautiful throughout the film, except the scene they shot day for night. I understand they didn't have film stock or lenses that would shoot in low light levels and they had to make do with what they could. However, it was so distracting in some parts that it completely took me out of the moment and I was only able settle back in several minutes after the scene was over.
All in all, it was a fantastic film that shouldn't be missed.
Roger Ebert, Once Again, Out to Lunch
mercuryix200325 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Roger Ebert, the film critic most palpably in love with his sense of perceived intellect, once again proves the phoniness of his objectivity as a reviewer by slamming movies like this one. There are some film critics like Ebert that when they are made uncomfortable by a movie, dismiss it without examining it, and call it sensationalistic. Mr. Ebert has done this with this one, which means this movie has done its job. The critic is too uncomfortable to examine the emotions this movie evokes, and uses pseudo-intellectualism to insulate himself from it. (Particularly in his hackneyed statement that the writer of the book made up contrived "statements" in the movie, instead of being real ones.)
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
The premise is simple; four businessmen leave the safety of their urban environment to go water rafting; they encounter a world outside their safe haven, that they cannot control. They eventually run into the wrong people, who despise them for simply existing and invading their territory, and their journey becomes a nightmare.
The movie is a study in how alienated man can become from his own species, how superficial the trappings of civilization are, and how civilized behavior will not help you survive when encountering simple animalistic behavior. The moral of the movie seems to be, there is no morality in survival, there is only survival. The men are graphically tortured, one raped, one murdered apparently by a hillbilly sniper trying to cover their tracks, and forced to commit murder to simply survive. Or is it simple self defense? They then realize that if they are honest and report the attacks that were made on them, they will be tried and executed simply for defending themselves.
They are therefore forced to lie, cover up and hide their experiences for life, even from their own families if they are to survive in the artificial "civilized" world they return to.
The movie places the characters in unfair circumstances they must survive in, and then further unfair circumstances as they must hide what happened to them to escape a place that will execute them if they tell the truth about defending themselves.
The unspoken message "stay in your own backyard or you'll be killed" is very depressing. But then, there are residents in Los Angeles that cannot even go into a different neighborhood without gangs targeting and killing them for no reason.
When a critic like Roger Ebert is too afraid to really examine the dark statements this movie makes emotionally, you know you have a movie that will move you and disturb you. The ironic thing is that now we have movies like Chain Saw Massacre III, Devil's Rejects, Friday the13th 1-9, etc, that make this movie's violence seem mild. However, the hatred, alienation and cruelty it examines will haunt and disturb you for years afterwards, long after meaningless drivel like the other movies mentioned are forgotten. In this day and age, that is no small accomplishment. Eight stars for me.
(cue banjo music....)
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
The premise is simple; four businessmen leave the safety of their urban environment to go water rafting; they encounter a world outside their safe haven, that they cannot control. They eventually run into the wrong people, who despise them for simply existing and invading their territory, and their journey becomes a nightmare.
The movie is a study in how alienated man can become from his own species, how superficial the trappings of civilization are, and how civilized behavior will not help you survive when encountering simple animalistic behavior. The moral of the movie seems to be, there is no morality in survival, there is only survival. The men are graphically tortured, one raped, one murdered apparently by a hillbilly sniper trying to cover their tracks, and forced to commit murder to simply survive. Or is it simple self defense? They then realize that if they are honest and report the attacks that were made on them, they will be tried and executed simply for defending themselves.
They are therefore forced to lie, cover up and hide their experiences for life, even from their own families if they are to survive in the artificial "civilized" world they return to.
The movie places the characters in unfair circumstances they must survive in, and then further unfair circumstances as they must hide what happened to them to escape a place that will execute them if they tell the truth about defending themselves.
The unspoken message "stay in your own backyard or you'll be killed" is very depressing. But then, there are residents in Los Angeles that cannot even go into a different neighborhood without gangs targeting and killing them for no reason.
When a critic like Roger Ebert is too afraid to really examine the dark statements this movie makes emotionally, you know you have a movie that will move you and disturb you. The ironic thing is that now we have movies like Chain Saw Massacre III, Devil's Rejects, Friday the13th 1-9, etc, that make this movie's violence seem mild. However, the hatred, alienation and cruelty it examines will haunt and disturb you for years afterwards, long after meaningless drivel like the other movies mentioned are forgotten. In this day and age, that is no small accomplishment. Eight stars for me.
(cue banjo music....)
Disturbing film stays in the memory years later...
Doylenf4 October 2006
DELIVERANCE is one of the most chilling stories of the '70s from a novel by James Hickey about four business men who decide to take a camping trip through woods and across a lake before going back to their own civilized turf. What they don't realize is that halfway through their trip they're going to be traumatized by an unfortunate incident involving some hillbilly types who don't cater to strangers that don't belong in the wilderness.
The feeling of unease is only gradually developed, although you can tell that something is about to happen that will change the lives of these men and their relationships to one another.
JON VOIGT, BURT REYNOLDS, NED BEATTY and RONNIE COX are the four men, ranging from the more machismo to the timid bookkeeper type--at least two of whom you wouldn't want to row across Central Park Lake in a canoe. What happens is an awakening for all of them and a sad fate awaiting one of them.
Under John Boorman's direction, it's sometimes hard to watch their ordeal become worse in time and it comes as a relief when the trip from hell is over. Not for the squeamish, nor do I think it's one of the great films of the '70s as a few have said here. It's a dark, disturbing look at men facing their survival in a strange land not far from their own backyards.
The feeling of unease is only gradually developed, although you can tell that something is about to happen that will change the lives of these men and their relationships to one another.
JON VOIGT, BURT REYNOLDS, NED BEATTY and RONNIE COX are the four men, ranging from the more machismo to the timid bookkeeper type--at least two of whom you wouldn't want to row across Central Park Lake in a canoe. What happens is an awakening for all of them and a sad fate awaiting one of them.
Under John Boorman's direction, it's sometimes hard to watch their ordeal become worse in time and it comes as a relief when the trip from hell is over. Not for the squeamish, nor do I think it's one of the great films of the '70s as a few have said here. It's a dark, disturbing look at men facing their survival in a strange land not far from their own backyards.
Will never hear a banjo the same way again
maccas-5636720 January 2019
A serious case of 'Deliverance' doing for the banjo, what 'Jaws' did for the ocean. Thanks for ruining that instrument for me guys.
"It was like Deliverance out there" - I have lost count at the number of times I have heard that phrase. I simply had to finally watch this film that had somehow etched its way into every day vocabulary around the world. I happened to live in a place where that description had been used once or twice too.
Definitely a movie well ahead of its time. I wasn't expecting the famous banjo scene to happen so early in the film - it was brilliant. The other infamous "rape scene" was just as disturbing as I imagined. Maybe even more so. The shock value was not bad for a film that came out in 1972. Those two famous scenes aside, the film had a meandering kind of vibe about it and became a little boring, barring one or two rapids scenes.
Not a film I'd watch twice, but glad I finally watched this nevertheless.
"It was like Deliverance out there" - I have lost count at the number of times I have heard that phrase. I simply had to finally watch this film that had somehow etched its way into every day vocabulary around the world. I happened to live in a place where that description had been used once or twice too.
Definitely a movie well ahead of its time. I wasn't expecting the famous banjo scene to happen so early in the film - it was brilliant. The other infamous "rape scene" was just as disturbing as I imagined. Maybe even more so. The shock value was not bad for a film that came out in 1972. Those two famous scenes aside, the film had a meandering kind of vibe about it and became a little boring, barring one or two rapids scenes.
Not a film I'd watch twice, but glad I finally watched this nevertheless.
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