The River Wild

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Its not always top notch quality we receive but sometimes, that's all we have to consider with both film and score. The River Wild was a quite original thriller (at least in certain kind of enemy namely the water) and the setting looked spectacular. And of course with Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon it had 2 good actors bringing the movie to normal par. As a score the same can be said about Jerry Goldsmith's music, its a normal score that doesn't stick out when you heard the rest like Executive Decision, The Edge, Chain Reaction, U.S. Marshals and the likes of other. All those scores had something original or good (considering not the last 2) but The River Wild has at least the standard Goldsmith tone of the last years. Its all effective and in a way quite enjoyable but the problem is, you don't click to it because it doesn't sound different from all the rest. You have the main theme which is quite lovely, but this is basically a descendant of the Rudy theme and then you know a thing about not liking it as the first one. Nonetheless, it appears quite often and mostly even with lovely effect in the following tracks, 'Gale's Theme (Main Title)' even being sort of a concert suite, 'Vision Quest' bringing even a surprising link to Congo, with its ethnic brief ending reminding you a thing or two from that score and 'Family Reunion (End Title)' showing the exact same theme finishing of the soundtrack. Before the score starts you have the song 'The Water is Wide' and this also appears for a moment in the last track. Its an ordinary song but it fits quite well with the main theme and therefore isn't a silly inclusion whatsoever.

Of course besides the main theme and its ever lovely status, we have the action / tension material and this fits well with the style of The Edge and Executive Decision, especially with the last considering. 'Big Water' has the tension material briefly of The Edge, some bangs reminiscent of Small Soldiers and some better sounding fanfares perfecting the sight of big waterfalls very good. The 10 minute long 'Vacation's Over' is actually quite good, considering it repeats everything we heard before in the score. Its actually the constant fact of hearing this action / tension music, with often well chosen ideas that makes it better then the rest. Especially the second part of that long track is well worth it. 'Wade Goes Under' also has distinct touches of Executive Decision in it and since that score hasn't been particularly well received, its also then understandable that The River Wild falls somewhat in the same register. This is completely true, the soundtrack misses a spark that makes it original or at least differing from the rest but altogether its also effective and brings what the film needed. That it doesn't make for the most inspiring listen is sad but it does make for at least acceptable background listening. From Jerry Goldsmith we heard better but from Jerry Goldsmith we've also heard worse, and the constant reminder of not having that conclusion is what makes The River Wild still normal in every standard.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. The Water Is Wide: Cowboy Junkies (3.13)

2. Gale's Theme (Main Title) (2.26)

3. Big Water (2.53)

4. Wade Goes Under (3.21)

5. Tom Hangs On (3.23)

6. Vision Quest (2.59)

7. Nittle Niagara (2.43)

8. Same Old Story (2.14)

9. Vacation's Over (9.54)

10. Family Reunion (End Title) * (5.47)

* Contains edited version of "The Water is Wide"

Total Length: 39.17

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===