Deliverance (1972)

This was remarkable and scared the crap out of me. I read the book eons ago, probably 1988, for a first-year university class back when I was earning my first degree. Not a Burt Reynolds fan, and having only seen two other works by Boorman (the great 'Point Blank' and the not-so-great 'Exorcist II: The Heretic'), I wasn't in a huge hurry to rush out and see the film. BIG mistake on my part, to be frank.
Probably the gifted 83-year-old, Surrey native and five-time Oscar nominee's best work--and easily the finest work ever done by Reynolds, shortly before he simply rested on his laurels and became nothing but a caricature. THIS at the very least was proof that he at one time actually had chops and could act.
The scariest aspect of all is that this goes on all the time and we just don't know about it. Hundreds of people go 'missing' every day. And, as a Canadian, it's people like the culprits in this film that are responsible for America now having the worst Presidential candidate of all time actually having a chance of being the head of the most powerful country in the world. Now THAT's scary.

**It would certainly have been more interesting at the time it was released.**
When this film came out in 1972, there was something interesting about themes linked to nature and the environment. Not that environmentalism was in vogue, but it was the golden age of the hippie movement that advocated, among other things, a more harmonious connection between Man and Nature. And in fact, what we have here is a group of four men from the big city who seek to find fun, emotions and beauty in the natural environment, in a wild river full of rapids that will disappear in a few months due to the construction of a dam. However, as they begin their descent down the river, things begin to go terribly wrong after an encounter with two men.
Fitting into that type of nature thrillers where man faces the dangers of Nature or hostile people, it is one of those films that I cannot understand how it was nominated for three Oscars (Best Film, Best Director and Best Editing). It's not memorable at all, and the proof is that, outside the USA, no one remembers it. John Boorman, who directs, gives us a work full of tension and brutality, which takes away all our comfort and makes us grit our teeth. That is great! However, the director did not overcome the difficulties caused by the low budget in the best way and the film always has a cheap and “second-rate” look, whether in terms of props, sets and costumes, or in the unpleasant cinematography, with washed out colors and without glare, lack of contrast and shadows. Even the celebrated banjo soundtrack seemed ugly and tiring to me.
If there is a saving value that makes this film worthy of attention, it is the quality that we observe in the work of the main actors. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox are excellent in their respective roles and give their all to this project. I especially liked Voight, who exudes charisma and energy. And although I can eventually talk a little about the good work of Bill McKinney and Herbert Coward, the fact is that the film completely lacks a quality secondary cast to support the four main actors. Before finishing, a note about the film's title: I was truly taken aback by the original title, in English. “Deliverance” could be the title of the original literary work on which the film is based, however, if we consider that this film never explains it and that we never clearly understand the title, perhaps it would have been a good idea to come up with a clearer title.